3tt)ata. Htm garb 
 
 BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE 
 
 SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND 
 
 THE GIFT OF 
 
 HENRY W. SAGE 
 
 1891 
 
Cornell University Library 
 E207.L14 D26 
 
 Sketch of the life and character of John 
 
 olin 
 
 3 1924 032 765 111 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924032765111 
 
SKETCH 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LIFE A^D CHARACTER 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN^ L^CEY, 
 
 Brigadier General ia tlie Kevolutionary Army. 
 
 BY 
 
 Jf. Y- f^- pAvis, y»t. jVi. 
 
 FEINTED PRIVATELY. 
 
 1 868. 
 
'"' H'A <^*v*!! 
 
 DISTINGUISHED EEVOLUTIONAEY HEEO 
 
 IS EHSPECTPULLY DEDICATED 
 
 TO HIS DESCENDANTS. 
 
P»REF A-OE. 
 
 The following sketch of the life and character of 
 Oeneral John Lacey was wi-itten a few years ago for 
 Ji popular magazine of the day. The most material 
 facts were taken from the General's papers which fell 
 into the hands of his son-in-law, the late distinguished 
 Dr. William Darlington, of West Chester, Penngyl- 
 vania. It is now printed in book-form, at the instance 
 of some of my literary friends, who are kind and par- 
 tial enough to believe that it is of sufficient interest 
 to be placed in a shape that will be more likely to 
 preserve it than the pages of a magazine. I claim no 
 merit for the sketch other than being a truthful memoir 
 of one of those grand old patriots who fought to estab- 
 lish constitutional hberty in the United States. 
 
 ^' W. W. H. DAVIS. 
 
 Doylestown, Pa., August, 1868, 
 
LIFE AND CHARACTER 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN LACEY. 
 
 CHx^PTER I. 
 
 5^^0HN LACEY, a captain in the Continental 
 ■^^ Ai'my, and a brigadier-general in the militia of 
 Pennsylvania, during the war of the American Revo- 
 lution, was a native of Bucks county, Pennsylvania. 
 He was born in the township of Bucldngham, on the 
 fourth day of February, in the year 1755,* and made 
 
 Note. — The date of General Lacey's birth, as given above, has been called in 
 question. Three years ago Thomas Warner, of Bucks county, addressed the fol- 
 lowing letter to the author on the subject of *' The Lacey Family," and published 
 in the Doylestown Democrat, which is considered of sufflclent Interest to be 1d- 
 eerted entire : — 
 
 Died in Wrightstown, on the 16th of Ist month, 1366, Benjamin Laccy, a much 
 respected citizen, in the 71st year of his age. 
 
 Perhaps it will not be inappropriate, at this time and in this place, to give a 
 little account of the Lacey family. Their primogenial ancestor here was WiUiam 
 Lacey. He emigrated from England, we bellevo from the Isle of Wight, and 
 was among the early settlers in the neighborhood of Wrightstown. His son 
 John married Rachel Heston in 1118. From this connection there were eleven 
 children, four or five of whom died in their minority. Only tliree of the whole 
 number married, namely : Kachel, to John Terry, in 1738 ; John to Jane Chop- 
 man, 1T46 ; and Joseph to Esther Warner, in 1749 or 17.50. 
 
8 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 tlie place of his nativity liis home, uutil near the close 
 of the war, when he removed to the State of New 
 Jersey. His ancestors were followers of the great and 
 good Perm, and educated in the strict tenets of the So- 
 ciety of Friends. They came among the first settlers, 
 who followed the fortunes of the founder of Pennsyl- 
 vania, to the New World, and took up their abode in 
 Bucks county. He was the son of John and Jane 
 Lacey, and the grandson of John and Kachel Lacey. 
 His paternal great-grandfather emigrated from the Isle 
 of Wight, England ; and his grandmother, whose name 
 was Heston, was a native of New England, whencre 
 her family removed to Bucks county at an early day. 
 His mother was the daughter of Abraham and Susan 
 
 John Lacey and Jane Ctiapman had eight children — and inasmach as one of 
 them became a noted man in hia day and generation, perhaps it will be as well 
 to mention that there is a register of the family, among the records of births and 
 deaths kept at Wrightstown. A copy thereof, verbatim etUteratum, is as follows: 
 
 Rachel Lacey, daughter of John and Jane, born 15th of 9 mo., 1T4T; Susanna 
 Lacey, daughter of John and Jane, born 19th of 2 mo., 1750 ; John Lacey, son of 
 John and Jane, born 4th of 12 mo., 1752 ; Ahiaham Lacey, son of John and JanCj 
 bom 4th of 1 rao., 1754 ; James Lacey, son of John and Jane, bom 11th of 8 mo., 
 1756; Benjamin Lacey, son of John and Jane, bom 23d of 7 mo., 1753; Elizabeth 
 Lacey, daughter of John and Jane, bom 4th of 12th mo., 1760 ; Wm. Lacey, son 
 of John and Jane, born 9th of 2 mo., 1765. 01 the above, Kachel died 16th of 6th 
 mo., 1760; Abraham, 28th of 10th mo., 1764, and James on the 29th of 10th mo., 
 1759. 
 
 The paranionnt object in presenting this record here is to show the time when 
 Jolm Lacey, jr., was bom, who afterward l>ecame General Lacey, of Revolution- 
 ary memory. Historians, in referring to this matter, have fixed upon a different 
 period. They have it that General Lacey was horn on the 4th day of February, 
 1756. The writer had some correspondence with Dr. Darlington, hie son-in-law, 
 on this subject, in 1862. He stated that he had the popular time of General 
 Lacey'a birth from himself, which was in 1755, and presumed it was authentic 
 
 We apprehend it is a very singular circumstance that there should be such a 
 disparity between the two accounts. Instead of harmonizing, as they ought to, 
 there is a difl'erence of two years and two months between them. Perhaps this 
 Is the first time this matter has been noticed in a public manner. It is something 
 for the historian as well as the antiquarian to think of. Such a discrepancy as 
 this will be likely to puzzle them a little, for it seems to be irreconcilable. 
 
IJFE AMD CHAKACTEU OF JOHN LACEY. 9 
 
 Chapman ; and his maternal gi-andmother was an Olden 
 of New Jersey. The ancestors of this distinguished 
 man were all farmers, and he was proud, up to the 
 very day of his death, in being the descendant of such 
 a reputable and useful class of people ; and, in accord- 
 ance with the mild doctrines of him to whom they 
 looked up, as "Prophet, Priest and Eang," were 
 opposed to all wars and rumors of wars. Oppression 
 drove them from their pleasant homes and fertile fields 
 in England, to seek an asylum in a strange land, and 
 when they set up their altars in this new-found prom- 
 ised land, they discountenanced strife and contention 
 of every kind. 
 At that day the Society of Friends, in whose " faith 
 
 General Lacey married Anastasia Reynolds, daaghter of Col. Thomas Rey- 
 nolds, o€ Burlington county, New Jersey, and had one son, Thomas H., and three 
 danghters, Eliza Bud, Kitty Reynolds, and Jane Chapman Laeey. Eliza Bud 
 married William L. Smith, in 1800 ; Kitty R., Dr. Darlington, in 1807 ; and Jane 
 0., Jonathan Hough, in 1814. 
 
 The only son of General Lacey, Thomas R., is now living in Burlington, New 
 Jersey, and will be 79 years old on the 17th of this month. He has, or had two 
 daughters, but only one son, William N. Lac«y, who has two boys, John and 
 William. 
 
 Joseph Lacey and E.'ther Warner, though they had eight children, there is 
 now, since tLe decease of Benjamin, (noticed at the beginning of this article,) 
 only three survivors of the name among their descendants. 
 
 Of the brothers and sisters of John Lacey, (commonly called General Lacey,) 
 but very little seems to be known. They all left the place of their nativity and 
 went to a more southern latitude. William and Susanna removed to and settled 
 in the State of Georgia. Elizabeth m a r ried and settled in the neighborhood of 
 the city of Washington; Benjamin also married and settled in Georgetown, in 
 the District of Columbia. He left two sons— Charles, who died a lieutenant in 
 the navy, and John, who settled in or near Washington. 
 
 The Lacey family was once quite numerous in this section of country ; but 
 instead of going ou increasing with every generation, they have been diminish- 
 ing. But seven of the name are now living that we have any certain knowledge 
 of, and these have been previously mentioned. Unless the name is perpetuated 
 by some of the number who now are, it will be likely to run out in the course of 
 another generation. T. W. 
 
 Wricihtatmim, M too. Is*, 1860. 
 
IjO LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACET, 
 
 and practice" young Lacey was reared, took but little 
 pains in the education of their children, deeming it 
 amply sufficient for every purpose of life if they could 
 read and write their native tongue. His parents being 
 of this class, and having but a limited education them- 
 selves, did not see the necessity and advg.ntage of 
 learning, and thought their son fitted to make his 
 way in the world with the same amount of information 
 they possessed. For this error of judgment he was a 
 sore sufferer in after years. Under these circumstances 
 he enjoyed but very limited advantages of education. 
 He was early sent to such Schools as there were in the 
 neighborhood, but they afforded very slight opportu- 
 nity for the acquisition of knowledge. He has left 
 upon record that the teacher of the school he went to 
 could neither read nor write correctly, and knew not 
 the meaning of grammar ; and that in the neighbor- 
 hood in which his father's family resided, the only 
 books allowed to be used in the schools were the Bible, 
 the Testament, and Dilworth's Spelling-book. These 
 books, it must be admitted, were not very well calcu- 
 lated to advance his literary pursuits ; and that a boy, 
 educated in such seminaries of learning, would not be 
 very well prepared to discharge the duties of life. 
 
 Young Lacey was kept at these schools until he 
 was thirteen or fourteen years of age, when his father 
 considered his education finished, and set him at 
 work; being employed on the farm, in the saw or 
 grist-mill, or in the cooper's shop. He was not un- 
 mindful of the disadvantages he labored imder, in 
 point of education, and after he left school endeavored 
 
LIFE AND CHAKACTEK OF JOHN LACEY. 11 
 
 to remedy them as much as possible, by reading and 
 private study. He spent most of his leisure moments 
 from work in reading such books as he could borrow 
 in the neighborhood ; and in the mill, while attending 
 to his work, would often have his favorite author in 
 his hand, and would devote every leisure moment 
 to its perusal. In this manner, by constant persever- 
 ance and application, he was enabled, in some manner, 
 to overcome the disadvantages of his youth ; but in 
 after life, when called to lill stations of honor and 
 responsibility in the service of his country, he felt very 
 sensibly the defect in his early training, and deplored, 
 with deep regret, the misfortune. His experience 
 should be a warning to parents, of the present day, 
 not to neglect the education of their children, when 
 the means of acquiring knowledge are within the reach 
 of every one, and to bo had almost " without money 
 and without price." In this country, where every 
 avenue is open to all, and the son of the humblest 
 citizen may be called to fill the highest station under 
 the constitution, education is of the first importance. 
 It then becomes the duty of every parent to educate 
 liis children in such a manner, that they will be able 
 to discharge all the duties which may devolve upon 
 them in after life. 
 
 For some years, the youth of General Lacey was 
 spent without any occurence of note to mark his his- 
 tory. His time was principally divided between the 
 farm, the mills, and the cooper's shop, reading and 
 study in his leisure moments, and now and then taking 
 half a day for a fox-hunt. Thus life, with liim, moved 
 
12 LIFE AND CHAEACTER OF JOHN LACEY- 
 
 smoothlj ou, knowing but little of the great world 
 beyond the narrow limits in which lie " lived, moved, 
 and had his being," until the month of July, 1773, 
 when an event occurred which somewhat changed his 
 course of life. He had had, heretofore, frequent 
 longings for a peep into the outside world, but no op- 
 portunity offered for the gratification of his desires ; 
 but now the time seemed at hand, when he could 
 realize his wishes. At the monthly meeting, held that 
 year, in July, at the Wrightstown Meeting House, his 
 luicle Zebulon Heston, who was a preacher among the 
 Friends, stated he had had a call to make a missionary 
 visit to the Delaware Indians, then settled on the Ohio 
 river, and asked permission to make the pilgrimage, 
 with a recommendation to the " Meeting for Suffer- 
 ings, of Friends in the city of Philadelphia." Mr- 
 Heston was now an old man of 70 years, and in his 
 youth had been on terms of close intimacy with many 
 of the young men of this tribe, who then lived along 
 the Delaware in Bucks county, which accounts, in 
 some degree, for his great anxiety to visit them. 
 Young Lacey was present at the meeting that day, 
 and when he heard his uncle make his proposition, it 
 appeared to him to be a good opportunity to see the 
 country, and he made up his mind to try and obtain 
 permission to accompany him. So, when the meeting 
 was out, he waited upon his uncle, and proposed him- 
 self as a companion on Ms journey, giving as the reason 
 for wishing to go with him, that he was old and infirm, 
 and would want some assistance on the way. His 
 uncle appeared pleased with the offer, and the next 
 
LIFE AND CHAKACTEK OF JOHN LACEY. 13 
 
 day spoke to his parents about it, who gave their 
 consent for their son to accompany him. His name 
 was included in the certificate of the Wrightstown 
 Meeting, and all things being in readiness, they set off 
 on their journey, and reached Philadelphia the same 
 day. Here his uncle transacted the necessary business 
 with the " Sufferings Meeting," and on the 9th they 
 commenced their journey for Pittsburg, being accom- 
 panied by John Parish, a pious Friend, in whose hands 
 was placed a sum of money for their expenses, and also 
 to purchase a few presents for the Indians. 
 
 They reached Pittsburg on the evening of the 18th — 
 nothing worthy of note occurring on the way. They 
 traveled the whole distance on horse-back, crossing 
 mountains, fording rivers, and suffering a good deal 
 from exposm'e. The roads were so bad as to be 
 wholly impassable for wagons, and all the goods then 
 taken west had to be carried on pack-horses, of which 
 they met a large number on the way. The new scenes 
 that young Lacey saw on the journej^, struck him with 
 astonishment, and he says, afforded him " much for 
 contemplation." They remained in Pittsburg two 
 days, and left on the 20th for the Indian town of 
 Newcomer's-Town, situated on the Muskingum river. 
 They crossed the Allegheny river in canoes, swimming 
 their horses, and set off through the wilderness, to the 
 North West. They were accompanied, as guides, by 
 John Gibson, an Indian Trader, and Captain White- 
 Eyes, an Indian chief. They reached Newcomer's- 
 Town on the 25th, and were received in the most 
 friendly and cordial manner by the king, Ne-tovj-hele- 
 
14 LIFE AND CHARACTEU OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 inon. The king immediately called a meeting of the 
 sachems or chiefs at his palace, when the visitors had 
 a formal presentation to the great men of his tribe, 
 after which they were assigned to their quarters. On 
 the 28th, the nation assembled in the great council- 
 house, when Messrs. Heston and Parish presented 
 their credentials from the meeting in Wrightstown 
 and the meeting of Suiferings in Philadelphia. These 
 were interpreted to the Indians, after which Mr. Hes- 
 ton made a prayer and proceeded to address the 
 assembly, every word of which was explained to the 
 Indian listeners. Captain White-Eyes also made a 
 speech and delivered a belt of wampum to the visitors, 
 in token of their friendship and good-will. They re- 
 mained several days at Newcomer's-Town, during 
 which time the missionaries held frequent meetings for 
 religious worship, which the Indians freely attended, 
 and behaved with decorum. Dm'ing this time Lacey 
 was not idle. He was a close observer of every thing 
 he saw and heard around him — he mixed freely among 
 the Indians, and learned as much as possible of their 
 manners and customs. He kept a journal, in which 
 he noted down every thing of interest that came under 
 his notice, and by this means carried home with him 
 a large fund of knowledge, which, at that day, could 
 not have been obtained from any other source. Hav- 
 ing concluded the object of their mission, they set out 
 on their journey home by way of Vu-ginia. Young 
 Lacey reached his father's house on the 14th of Sep- 
 tember, having traveled upward of one thousand miles, 
 and been absent two months and seven davs. 
 
LIFE AND CHABACTEli OF JOHN LACEY. 15 
 
 The following interesting abstract from his journal, 
 we copy entire, as it will throw some new light upon 
 the manners and customs of the aboriginal inhabitants 
 not generally known, and which I have never seen 
 recorded elsewhere. He says: — 
 
 "After we had been presented to the king and 
 council, we were conducted to an empty log house or 
 cabin — such as are made by colliers, at iron-works — 
 covered with palisades and bark. There were three 
 berths erected in it, on crotches set in the ground ; on 
 each was spread, or laid, a course of split plank or 
 palisades, wide enough for two persons to lie on. On 
 these planks were spread one or more deer or bear 
 skins, for beds. No iioor but the bare earth was in 
 this house, and many others in the town. Indeed few 
 only had floors, and these, I believe, were confined to 
 the nobihty alone ; none others, that I saw, had any 
 boards in them. The king's and Kill-buck's were 
 tolerably well furnished, and their bed-rooms were up 
 stairs. The skins, however, made comfortable beds, 
 and we could not complain of our lodgings. Between 
 sunset and dark, our habitation was surrounded by 
 a large number of (some twenty to thirty) young Indian 
 girls, dresse'd in their best apparel, who kept up an 
 almost incessant serenade on jews-harps. Although 
 Quakers, neither my friends nor myself showed any 
 signs of disapprobation. If we had, we should have 
 been obliged to let them play on. They would ap- 
 proach the door, but venture no farther. We all 
 supposed that their design was a mere compliment, an 
 honor conferred on us as friends and strangers, and 
 
16 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 took no further notice than apparently to be pleased 
 with their music, which continued night after night, 
 for nearly the whole of the first week of our residence. 
 Two white men, traders — John Freeman, and James 
 Forbes — had a store of goods in this town — with whom 
 I made an early acquaintance, and was often invited 
 to dine and sup with them. On the second or third 
 day of our residence, while at dinner, Freeman asked 
 me if I did not observe the Indian girls playing on 
 jews-harps, at our lodgings, and asked if I knew their 
 meaning. I answered in the affirmative, and that I 
 supposed it was out of compliment. He said it was a 
 custom when a stranger comes to reside at the town, 
 for ever so short a time, the girls, or single women, 
 present themselves in that way, in token of their wil- 
 lingness to enter into a contract for such time as his 
 business required his stay there ; during which they 
 acted as housekeeper, and performed every necessary 
 service, in the care of your baggage or goods, cooked, 
 washed, and conducted in all things with punctuality, 
 honesty and care, as well of your person as goods ; 
 that if you were in danger of insult, they would give 
 you the earliest notice — and in that respect they were 
 sometimes peculiarly useful ; no part of their contract 
 would be neglected, but in all things they would per- 
 form their duty as a good housewife ought to do. 
 You must pay for all these services, in money or cloth- 
 ing, according to your agreement. 
 
 " Being thus master of this secret— of which I knew 
 my companions to be ignorant — I could not refrain 
 from laughter at the simple credulity of my uncle, and 
 
LIFE AXI /HARACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 17 
 
 Friend Parish, who seemed to be tickled and ■exMlir- 
 ated -with the young squaws' music, as they crowded 
 the threshold of their habitation. Although they 
 would crowd and jostle each other for the possession 
 of the door, they did not venture into our apartment. 
 After some time, finding their music to have made no 
 impressicai upon us, and tliat we were not inclined to 
 accept their services, iimj disaippeared, which my com- 
 panions seeimed really to jregret — sorrowfully saying 
 they believed the girls had got tiaed of them, which I 
 have no doubt was really the case. 
 
 " I believe this custom to be not only hcensed, but 
 approved and encouraged by the chiefs of the nation, 
 as I observed Captain Kill-buck's daughter, with her 
 harp, among the crowd, and one of the foremost to 
 approach the door. She had a sprightly, imiocerj.t 
 countenance, and a fine person. The number of in- 
 habitants, according to Captain Kill-buck's account, 
 amounts to upward of three hundred, at this town; and 
 their young men — which they counted as warriors — 
 «,pward of one hundred. " 
 
 On his return home, Mr. Lacey again commenced 
 work at his foi-mer occupations, his father giving him 
 the principal care and management of the mill. In 
 this manner we find him engaged until the spring of 
 1775, when the difliculties between Great Britain and 
 her then colonies had assumed an alarming aspect, and 
 foreboded open rupture. As the difficulties waxed 
 warmer and warmer, the people began to take sides 
 and array themselves for or against the mother coun- 
 try. From the first, Mr. Lacey had been a close 
 3 
 
18 LIFE AND CHAKACTER OF JOHN LACEY, 
 
 reader of the various publications, and observer of the 
 occurrences which took place, and was induced to 
 believe the claims of Great Britain unjust and cruel. 
 Hence, from the beginning he was an ardent patriot, 
 and espoused the cause of his country with all the en- 
 thusiasm his nature was capable of; and he defended 
 the cause of the struggling infant colonies with so 
 much zeal and ability, as soon to draw upon himself 
 the notice of the neighborhood in which he lived. 
 His non-resistance principles, in which he had been 
 trained IJrom his early youth, and taught to consider 
 the very acme of his faith and practice, were scattered 
 to the wind, and he announced his determination to 
 enroll himself under the banner of his country, and 
 assist in her defense. In this I'esolution it was his 
 misfortune to differ with his family and most of his 
 relations and friends, which, with many, caused a 
 breach that was never healed in future years. A ma- 
 jority of the religious sect to which he belonged took 
 the side of the mother country, and were anxious that 
 his assistance should be given to the same cause ; but 
 he was far too indignant at the conduct of Great Bri- 
 tain to take sides against the land of his birth. Every 
 other consideration was lost sight of but his love of 
 country, and the duty he Owed to her and posterity ; 
 and he was determined, at all hazards, to devote his 
 service to the cause of liberty. His feelings were 
 manly, just, and patriotic, and he knew no other course 
 than to follow in the path of duty. This path he took 
 and it led him on to usefulness and glory. 
 
 When the difficulties assumed the aspect of open lios- 
 
LIFE AND CHAKACTER OF JOHN LAGEY. 19 
 
 tilities, we find Mr. Lacey one of the first in the field. 
 As early as July, 1775, lie was chosen the " Standard 
 Bearer'''' in the second battalion of the Bucks county 
 militia. About the same time, the young men of the 
 neighborhood, fixed with patriotism, formed them- 
 selves into a volunteer company in order to learn the 
 use of arms and be in a better condition to serve their 
 country. Many of them, like himself, were members 
 of the society of Friends, and took this step in direct 
 opposition to the known wishes of their parents and 
 friends. Mr. Lacey was elected their captain, which 
 was a well-merited compliment to his activity in the 
 cause of his country, and which at this early day made 
 liim a " man of mark" in the neighborhood where he 
 was best known. But now came a trying time to the 
 young Quaker captain, and his patriotism had to pass 
 through a severe ordeal. His company was no sooner 
 organized, and he had hardly yet had an opportunity 
 to make a bow to Mars, when the Friends' Meeting 
 took the matter in hand, and used their most strenu- 
 ous exertions to break up the organization. Those of 
 the " Manor Born, " were warned of the path of sin 
 they were treading in, and recalled back into the fold. 
 They all obeyed the summons except Lacey who re- 
 mained true to his colors ; and seeing that he was 
 more stubborn than the rest, and still persisted in his 
 new calling, the society took harsher means with him. 
 Although he was proof against all their persuasions 
 and appeals, they did not dream that he dare resist the 
 oflicial power of the church, and therefore they thought 
 to frighten him back to what they considered his duty, 
 
20 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOmS LACET. 
 
 by reading him out of meeting. But they httle knew 
 the man with whom they had to deal. He was, there- 
 fore, in due manner and form excommunicated and 
 declared to be without the pale of the chiurcfa of hi& 
 fathers. The following Friendly Bull was issued, upon, 
 the occasion : 
 
 "Whereas, John Lacey, Junr., hath had his. birtb 
 and education amongst Friends, but hath so far devi- 
 ated from, the principles of Friends as to learn the art 
 of war, and having been treated with on that account^ 
 but not coming to a sense of his error, we give forth 
 this testament against -such practice, and can have no^ 
 further lunity with him as a member of our societyT 
 until he' comes to a sense of his misconduct and con- 
 demns the same to the satisfaction of Friends, which 
 that he may do is our sincere desire for him. 
 
 (Signed) "Jos. Chapman, Cl'k." 
 
 Resistance to this proceeding was a> severe trial. 
 He was strongly attached to the society of Friends ; 
 in its mild and peaceful tenets he had been reared and 
 educated — his earhest aaid dearest affections and asso- 
 ciations were connected with it, and he had beeo 
 taught to yield a ready obedience to aU the require- 
 ments of the society ; it had been the faith of bi» 
 fathers for generations, and. under these circumstances, 
 it required no ordinary effort to tear asunder these tiesy 
 and place himself in hostile opposition to> his family 
 and friends. His heart was torn -with conflicting emo- 
 tions, but in the emergency lie acted promptly, and as. 
 became a hero and a man. The pathway of duty was- 
 too plainly marked out before him to hesitate and 
 
LIFE AND CHAEACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 21 
 
 falter. The call of patriotism was louder than that of 
 sect, and his duty to his country was more urgent than 
 obedience to churchly creeds. He acted a noble part 
 upon this trying occasion, and this single circumstance 
 shows him to have been a young man of much more 
 than ordinary nerve and capacity. A man of less firm- 
 ness and ability would have given way under the 
 pressure that was made upon him, but nothing could 
 shake his indomitable resolution, or cause him to turn; 
 aside from what he believed to be right. All honor is 
 due him for the course h© took, and his devotion to 
 the cause was soon rewarded by his admiring country. 
 He has left behind him the following record of his own 
 feelings in reference to the course he took, and which 
 contains so much high-souled patriotism that we can- 
 not forbear to insert it at length. He says : — 
 
 " I alone stood the ordeal of the Quaker Society — - 
 of which I was then a member. Moved by an irre- 
 sistible impulse to espouse the cause of the colonies 
 — to support the liberty, the independence, and the 
 political safety of my native country against the strong 
 arm of British oppression ; and offering upon the altar 
 of the public weal, the sacrifice of my private interest 
 and social fehcity — my career was not to be controlled. 
 The recital of dangers only increased my ardor. Thus 
 wound up in the political enthusiasm of the times, to 
 be inactive was to me an intolerable burthen, which 
 at that period I could not brook, and thus my ardor 
 led me to accept a captain's commission in the troops 
 to be raised to oppose the British army, then in pos- 
 session of Boston." 
 
22 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 In the autumn of 1775, the Committee of Safety of 
 Pennsylvania, on the call of the Congress then as- 
 sembled in Philadelphia, issued orders for the raising 
 of six regiments of troops, as her quota for the Conti- 
 nental Army then being formed for the defense of the 
 colonies. Mr. Lacey was commissioned a captain in 
 one of the Pennsylvania regiments, on the 5th day of 
 January, 1776. He received his recruiting orders on 
 the 20th of the same month, and although the winter 
 was very cold, he set about raising his company with 
 great zeal, and such was his activity and good fortune, 
 that by the 12th day of February he had enlisted his 
 complement of eighty-five men, and was ready to 
 march to the scene of action. His company was made 
 up principally of young men in his own neighborhood, 
 farmers' sons, whom he had always known, and who 
 had every confidence in him. His is said to have 
 been one of the finest-looking companies in the Penn- 
 sylvania line, and was attached to the 4th Pennsyl- 
 vania regiment, commanded by Colonel Anthony- 
 Wayne. Captain Lacey, with his company, marched 
 for Chester, on the Delaware river, on the 12th, by 
 order of the colonel. They reached Darby on the 
 14th, where they were quartered on the inhabitants. 
 They remained here until the 21st of March, when 
 they were marched to Chester, where they drew their 
 arms the next day. The regiment, which was now 
 all assembled at this ]Aaxie, was ordered to New York. 
 They embarked in shallops for Trenton, from which 
 place they marched overland to their place of destina- 
 tion, where they arrived on the 28th. Such was the 
 
LIFE AND CHAUACTEE uF JOIIX LACEY. 23 
 
 energy displayed by Captain Lacey in his new sphere 
 of duty, that he had his company uniformed before any 
 other one in the regiment, and being first ready to 
 march, was sent on in advance of tlie other companies, 
 which were to follow as they should be equipped. 
 When they arrived in New York they were quartered 
 in some empty houses on Broadway, which had been 
 vacated by the owners in consequence of the rumored 
 approach of the enemy. Here they remained until 
 the 14th of April, when, on tlie arrival of Captain 
 Robinson's company, they were encamped on Long 
 Island, under the command of JIajor Houseker, who 
 had also joined them. The remaining companies of 
 the regiment soon after joined the camp, and on the 
 27th of April Col. Wayne arrived in New York and 
 assumed the command. Captain Lacey at this time 
 thus describes the uniform of his company : " Our 
 regimental coats were deep blue faced with white, 
 white vests, and overalls, edged Avith blue cloth ; a 
 veiy beautful uniform, but on experience was found 
 much better adapted for parade than utility in the 
 hardships of a camp, as it too easily became soiled and 
 was hard to clean." 
 
 Immediately upon the arrival of Colonel Wayne at 
 the camj) on Long Island, he ordered Captain Lacey 
 to return to Darby and settle the men's board, while 
 they were quartered there, and a part of which it 
 appeared had remained unpaid. He returned and 
 arranged the matter to the entire satisfaction of those 
 interested, and immediately retraced his steps to New 
 York to join his regiment. In the meantime, on the 
 
24 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN I.ACEY. 
 
 27th of April, an order was issued by the commander- 
 in-chief for six more regiments to march for Canada, 
 and join the troops already sent in that direction. 
 They were at once got ready, and embarked and sailed 
 up the river for Albany. Captain Lacey reached camp 
 on the 11th of May, and found that five companies of 
 his regiment, among which was his own, had gone to 
 Canada, the balance remaining in camp under the 
 command of Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston and Major 
 Houseker. Lacey's company had been given to Cap- 
 tain Moore, who was a great pet of Colonel Wayne, 
 and Moore's, which was unarmed, was left behind 
 with orders for Lacey to take charge of it until he 
 should join his regiment. Captain Lacey felt himself 
 justly aggrieved at this procedure, and laid his com- 
 plaint before the general officer who commanded on 
 Long Island. He directed Lieutenant-Colonel John- 
 ston to send Captain Lacey to overtake his company, 
 with a letter to Colonel Wayne explaining the reason 
 of his being in advance of the balance of the regiment. 
 He embarked immediately at New York in a vessel for 
 Albany, in company with several other officers who 
 were going to join their regiments, and reached the 
 army on the 30th, encamped on the east side of Lake 
 Chaniplain, about half way between Crown Point and 
 St. John's. He presented himself at Colonel Wayne's 
 quarters, and reported for duty with his company; 
 but Wayne refused to allow him to take command of 
 it until at such time as Moore's should arrive ; he was 
 to continue his rank, and act as a volunteer in the 
 meantime. Although sorely cliagrined at this unjust 
 
UFE Aim CHAEACTEE OF JOHN LACET. 25 
 
 tfcreatment from Colonel Wayne, Captain Lacey, like a 
 .good soldier and true patriot, resolved to be of all the 
 ■service lie could ; he even overlooked wrong for the 
 ■sake of his country. 
 
 On the 31st of May tlie troops embarked and sailed 
 -down Lake Champlain in about two hundred vessels 
 of various kinds. The tents were used for sails ; 
 Colonel Wayne's division leading the van. Thus, with 
 a fair wind they moved in beautiful array over the 
 ■smooth surface of the lake, toward St. John's, where 
 they arrived the same day, after dark. The troops 
 -encamped at the head of the river Sorel, about sixteen 
 miles below the Isle aux Wolx. They remained here 
 until the 3d of June, when they marched by land to 
 Charablee, except a few men who went with the boats 
 to conduct them safely down the rapids. As soon as 
 ■the boats had arrived, they again embarked and sailed 
 ■down the river to its junction with the St. Lawrence, 
 where the army encamped on the bank of the river. 
 Notwithstanding the misunderstanding that had taken 
 place between Colonel Wayne and Captain Lacey, the 
 former sent the latter, while they lay at Sorel, the 
 following invitation to dinner, which is inserted more 
 as a matter of curiosity than from any other cause : 
 
 " Col. Wayne's best compliments wait on Capt-. 
 Lacey, and begs the favor of his dining with him on a 
 roasted pig, at 2 o'clock this afternoon, by the edge of 
 the woods. 
 
 "To Captain Lacey, Present." 
 
 Under the circumstances, this seemed very much 
 like endeavoring to heal up the wounded honor of 
 
I'G LIFE AND ClIAKACTEC OF JUHN LAl'EY, 
 
 Captain Laeey with a good dinner ; but lie did not 
 feel at liberty to decline, and hence Captain Lacey 
 politely accepted the invitation, and particnlarly as an 
 opportunity to dine on "roasted pig" was not of 
 every-day occurrence. 
 
 On the 5th of June Captain Lacey was sent for by 
 General Sullivan, and ordered to carry dispatches to 
 General Arnold at Montreal, an account of which trip 
 we will relate in his own words. 
 
 "A post-chaise, or rather a common chaise, without 
 a top, (what they call in Canada a calash, ) stood at the 
 door of the general's quarters, the letters were handed 
 to me by one of the general's aids, with some hard 
 money to pay the drivers at the end of each stage, and 
 some verbal directions how to proceed. I instantly 
 jumped into the vehicle, to which was geared a small 
 chunk of a horse, and the coachman drove off in full 
 speed up the east side of the Sorel river. We left 
 head-quarters about 4 o'clock, p. jr., and after two 
 changes arrived within six miles of Chamblee, having 
 traveled all night, crossed the river in a boat, pursued 
 my course on foot to La Prairie, came to Montreal 
 about 12 o'clock, and delivered my letters to General 
 Arnold, with whom I dined. In passing up the river 
 Sorel I had an agreeable and fine prospect of the adja- 
 cent country. On the margin of the river, and as far 
 back into the country as I could see, the soil appeared 
 to be a sandy loam, and very fertile. The banks, and 
 for some distance (as far as I could see) the land, 
 lay a considerable height above the water, but very 
 level. Some of my drivers could speak English. 
 
LU-E AND CHAKACTEK OF JOHN LACEY. 27 
 
 They informed me that back from the river there was 
 a great body of swamps, or marshy ground, and the 
 country uninhabited. Along the bank and margin of 
 the river, the villages seem to unite with each other, 
 so that it might almost be said to be a string of vil- 
 lages from the Chamblee to the mouth or junction of 
 the Sorel with the river St. Lawrence. At every 
 cross-road, or vicinity of a church — of which there 
 appeared not a few — was erected a cross or crucifix, 
 attached to a large post fixed in the ground. .\.s we 
 passed each, my driver never failed to pull off his hat 
 and make a low bow, as he sat in our calash, turning 
 his face toward it, and muttering at the same time 
 a few words in French, which I did not understand. 
 I could not help reflecting on the force of jDrejudice 
 and education, on seeing these pooi', ignorant Cana- 
 dians so very attentive and exact in their devotion to 
 those inanimate posts of wood. 
 
 "About 4 o'clock the same day, June 6th, I received 
 other letters from General Arnold to General Sullivan, 
 at the Sorel. The General ordered five men to ac- 
 company me in a large canoe. We hoisted a blanket 
 for a sail, and had a fine, fair and easy wind down the 
 river, until we came off La Prairie, where we were 
 overtaken by a squall of wind and rain. We steered 
 for the shore, expecting every moment to be overset, 
 the waves ran very high ; we were afraid to take down 
 our sail, and kept nearly before the wind, so as to 
 make the first land in our course. Luckily, we made 
 out to reach the land, but the instant our canoe struck 
 she sunk. Fortunately for us, the water being shoal. 
 
28 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACET. 
 
 we reached the shore in safety. Being thus east away,, 
 in an enemy's country, we conceived it unsafe to apply 
 to the inhabitants for assistance. As none of us couldi 
 speak a word of French, even if they were disposed to- 
 assist us, we could not make them undei'stand what 
 we wanted. Providentially, however, we discovered' 
 a batteaux on the shore, near the place where we had; 
 landed, wliich we supposed had been either foxm(J 
 adrift or stolen, and drawn up out of the water. It 
 proved to be a good one, with four oars in it. After 
 considerable efforts we launched it into the river, the 
 wind and storm abating, we got under way, although^ 
 the waves were still greatly agitated, and our new 
 vessel very leaky, and continued our course down the- 
 Biver all night. In the morning the wind shifted, 
 being ahead, we had hard rowing. Having no pro- 
 Tisions with us, we landed on one of the islands, with 
 which the St. Lawrence aboimds ; got plenty of bread 
 and milk of one of the inhabitants — -to whom I ofi'ered 
 paper money — but the mistress of the house, (the man 
 not appearing,) refused to take it, saying "wo bonne."' 
 I then paid her in specie, when she seemed to be quite 
 overjoyed, brought us more bread and milk, and, as 
 well as she could, invited us to eat. We re-entered our 
 boat, and after hard, rowing reached the mottth of the 
 Sorel river about 10 o'clock, and delivered my letters- 
 to General Sullivan. I had set out precisely at 4 
 o'clock, p. M., on the 5tbwen± to Montreal, said to be' 
 46 miles and more by land. ; delivered dispatches to 
 General Arnold, received others from him, and re- 
 turned to Sullivan's head-qiiarters, at the mouth, of the 
 
LIFE AND CHAEACTEE OF JOHN LACEY, 29 
 
 Sorel, by 10 o'clock, a. m., of the 7th ; having per- 
 formed the journey in less than two days, and traveling 
 on foot from the river Sorel near Chamblee to La 
 Prairie, opposite Montreal, on the south side of the 
 river St. Lawrence^ about 15 miles. The road, from 
 the Sorel to La Prairie, was tolerably good, but 
 swampy and causewayed in many places ; here and 
 there a habitation and improvement, the people ap- 
 pearing to live very poor, the land level, and broken. 
 by the swamps. Those parts above the water appeaPBct 
 fertile and very natural to grass, producing also straw- 
 berries in abundance." 
 
 On the return of Captain Lacey to the camp at 
 Sorel, he found the Pennsylvania troops had gone 
 down the St. Lawrence to Three Rivers, to reinforce 
 General Thompson and Colonel St. Clair. General 
 Sullivan complimented him highly for the manner ins 
 which he had executed his mission to General Arnold, 
 and desired him to remain with him- at the Sorel until 
 he joined the army below, which he expected to do in 
 a few days. The British had erected strong works at 
 the Three Rivers, which the Americans intended to 
 surprise and capture. The attempt was made on the 
 8th of June, which failed, and our troops suffered a. 
 heavy loss, besides being much disorganized in the 
 retreat. In this attack General Thompson and Colonel 
 Irvine of the 6th Pennsylvania regiment were made 
 prisoners. On the 10th, General Sulhvan ordered 
 Captain Lacey, with a party of ten men and one officer,, 
 to proceed down the St. Lawrence until they should 
 meet the retreating army, and show them the way to 
 
30 LirE AyiD CHAEACTKIl OV JOHN LACEY. 
 
 camp, which they did not all reach until the evening 
 of the next day. In this engagement Captain Lacey's 
 company lost seventeen men, most of whom were 
 captured. 
 
 A council of war was held at head-quarters on the 
 night of the 13th, when it was deemed advisable to 
 evacuate Canada, concentrate the American army at 
 Ticonderoga, and there make a stand against the ap- 
 proach of the British. The movement was begun on 
 the morning of the 14th ; the army marching up the 
 river by land, and the baggage and military stores 
 being transported in batteaux by water, after a most 
 laborious and fatiguing time the army and baggage 
 reached the Isls aux Noix, and encamped there on the 
 19th. The sick and invalids were sent off in batteaux 
 the next morning, but the army remained encamped 
 on the island for nearly a week, untU the boats returned 
 from Crown Point. While the troops were encamped 
 here they were truly in a pitiable condition. The 
 situation was a very unhealthy one, and both officers 
 and men seemed to contract all the ills that " flesh is 
 heir to." In order to show the reader more clearly what 
 they suffered here, we will give Captain Lacey's account 
 of it, in his own words, and let it be borne in mind 
 that this suffering was endured in order to secure to 
 us the many blessings we now enjoy. We should 
 never forget the immense price that was ^^aid for our 
 Liberty ! 
 
 "Having nothing to do, curiosity led me to visit 
 the New England camp. Here my feelings were in- 
 describable ; some men in, and some out of tents, sick. 
 
LIFE AND CHAUACTER OF JOHX LACEY. 31 
 
 on the l>are ground, infected with fluxes, fevers, small- 
 pox, and overrun with legions of lice ; and none but 
 the sick to wait on one another. lij eyes never before 
 beheld such a scene, nor do I ever desire to see such 
 another. The lice and maggots seemed to vie with 
 each other, creeping in millions over their victims ; 
 and the doctors themselves either sick or out of medi- 
 cine. The estimate in both camps was that from 15 
 to 20 died daily. I examined the burying-ground of 
 each camp ; found two large holes dug in the earth, 
 one for each camp. While there, I saw several corpses 
 brought — carried in a blanket by four soldiers, one 
 holding each corner. On their arrival at the pit or 
 grave, those next it would let go of the blanket, while 
 the other two giving it a hoist, rolled the dead body 
 into the pit— where lay several bodies already deposited 
 in the same way, with no other covering but the rags 
 in which they died, heads and points as they happened 
 to come to the place. In this manner the burial con- 
 tinued all day. As soon as the breath had left the 
 imfortunate victim, the body was laid on a dirty 
 blanket, and thus toted off' to the silent tomb, without 
 a sigh from a friend or relative, or a single mourner 
 to follow it. In the evening the dirt in front of this 
 general grave, or depository of the dead, was thrown 
 over the bodies, leaving a new space open for the next 
 day. This scene of human wretchedness and misery 
 engrossed my attention, and induced a daily visit. 
 The New England and New York camp was most 
 infected with small-pox, and scarcely a single one sur- 
 vived an attack of that disease. The whole armv was 
 
32 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 computed to be about five thousand men ; of which It 
 could not be said that more than one-third was fit for 
 duty. Our retreat was certainly a wise measure, and 
 was well conducted." 
 
 The army all reached Crown Point by the 1st of 
 Jnlj, when General Gates assumed the command. 
 Here they remained until the 9th, when they moved 
 up to Ticonderoga, where they encamped. On the 
 m.orning of the 12th, the three remaining companies of 
 Wayne's regiment, which had been left behind at Long 
 Island, joined the camp, and for the first time the 
 whole regiment was together. In the meantime, the 
 ■difliculty between Colonel Wayne and Captain Lacey 
 was not settled, and the situation of the latter became 
 so unpleasant, that he determined to resign his com- 
 mission as soon as the campaign should draw to a close. 
 The breach between them became widened instead of 
 reconciled, and Captain Lacey found it impossible, 
 under the circumstances, to remain in the service with 
 any degree of satisfaction ; and although he regretted 
 deeply the necessity which impelled him to this step, 
 he considered that his honor and duty to himself re- 
 quired it, and he gave notice to that effect to his 
 commanding ofiicer. His friends persuaded him to 
 remain, but he was inflexible in his determination to 
 resign at the conclusion of the campaign, and when he 
 could be of no more service to his country in the posi- 
 tion he then occupied. It is not our place to take any 
 part in this difiiculty between these two officers, but 
 as a faithful chronicler of events, we could not pass 
 over them unnoticed. The history of both has become 
 
LIFE AND CHAEACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 33 
 
 part of our national glory, and whatever faults either 
 may have committed, which led to this unfortunate 
 misunderstanding, their valuable services in the cause 
 of Independence are ample enough to cover them all 
 up. Captain Lacey was ordered by Colonel Wayne, 
 on the 13th, to take command of his own company, 
 which he did ; and Moore, who had had charge of it, 
 was ordered to his own. He found his company in a 
 sad condition, exhibiting an entire want of care ; hav- 
 ing lost since he parted with it on Long Island, two 
 sergeants, two corporals, drummer and fifer, and twen- 
 ty-eight privates. He immediately exerted all his 
 energies to put it in a good state of discipline, and he 
 devoted all his time to this object not required by 
 other duties. On Sunday, the 14th, he was sent with 
 one hundred and fifty men and fifty batteaux to Crown 
 Point, to bring to Ticonderoga the 6th Pennsylvania 
 regiment, which he accomplished without loss. 
 
 While the array occupied this position, the New 
 York, New Jersey, and New England troops were 
 encamped on Mount Independence, and the Pennsyl- 
 vania regiments within the old French lines, north-west 
 of the old fort. The men were put to work in strength- 
 ening the redoubts and breastworks, and deepening 
 the ditches, and were thus employed for several weeks 
 in making every necessary preparation to resist the 
 enemy, who, it was sux^posed, would follow and attack 
 them at this place. The works had gone very much 
 to ruin, and it required a good deal of labor to repair 
 them, and place them in a proper posture of defense. 
 In addition to the heavy fatigue-dutv both ofiicers and 
 5 
 
34 LIFE AND CHAEACTER OF JOHN LACEY, 
 
 men were obliged fo undergo daily, they were also 
 exercised in various military manoeuvres, such as rush- 
 ing to the alarm posts, manning the lines, and going 
 through the necessary firing to repel an attack. The 
 health of the army was now much better than hereto- 
 fore, which was caused, in a great measure, by their 
 regular duty and better supplies. The sick from 
 Crown Point were sent to the barracks at the south 
 end of Lake George, where they were rapidly recover- 
 ing. Much of the sickness that had prevailed to such 
 an alarming extent, while the troops were in Canada, 
 was caused by the unwholesome as well as scanty 
 supply of food that was furnished to the army. The 
 men were obliged to eat rusty pork, and coarse, tin ■ 
 bolted meal, and there was not even a supply of this 
 poor fare ; there seldom being issued more than half 
 a ration at a time, and sometimes not that much. 
 There is no wonder then, that men hving on such 
 provisions, much exposed and hard at work all the 
 time, should sicken and die. 
 
 Captain Lacey makes the following note of the re- 
 ception of the Declaration of Independence, viz. : 
 
 "Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston brought with him 
 the Declaration of Congress, on the 4th, of the Inde- 
 pendence of America. It made a little buzz, but soon 
 subsided, and was forgotten. A few ofiBcers left the 
 army in consequence of it, among whom was Lieu- 
 tenant-Colonel Allen." 
 
 In the beginning of September large reinforcements 
 arrived at the camp from diiferent quarters, and affairs- 
 assumed a more ^\'arlike aspect ; and it was expected 
 
LIFE AND CHARACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 35 
 
 that, before the campaign closed, they would have an 
 opportunity to meet the enemy. The works were 
 completed the 13th of September, when the officers 
 and men were pubhcly thanked for the industry and 
 energy they had exhibited in their completion. Dur- 
 ing this time Captain Lacey was ahnost constantly in 
 command, either in the entrenchments or on picket- 
 guard, and in every instance acquitted himself with 
 great credit. 
 
 Among the papers of General Lacey are many of 
 the orders of General, then Colonel, Wayne, by which 
 it appears that he was a very strict disciplinarian, and 
 at the same time something of a martinet, in regard to 
 the personal appearance of his men. After the severe 
 labors of repairing the works at Ticonderoga were 
 ended, he paid considerable attention to the cleanliness 
 and appearance of his regiment, as the following order 
 will show : 
 
 Colonel Wayne's Orders, September 19. 
 
 " The 4th battalion are to be all imder arms, on 
 Sunday next, at 9 o'clock, A. m., and, as soap is now 
 plenty, and new shirts ready to be delivered to such 
 companies as are in want, no excuse can be admitted 
 for appearing dirty or indecent. All officei's and 
 soldiers wiU be particularly careful, on that day, to 
 appear on the parade as neat as possible ; for which 
 purpose the officers will see that the men have their 
 hair well-powdered and neatly tied and plaited." 
 
 The soap he speaks of was, without doubt, much 
 
36 LIFE AND CHAEACTER OF JOHN LACEl". 
 
 needed ; but, with our modern notions of soldiering-, 
 we cannot see how the plaited pig-tails sticking out 
 from the hinder part of the head could add any thing 
 to the martial appearance of the men. 
 
 They had been waiting the approach of the enemy 
 for some time, expecting every day to hear of their 
 advance toward Ticonderoga, as our spies had brought 
 word that they had a fleet of armed vessels on the 
 lake, nearly ready for operations, and that their army 
 only waited orders to move from Isle aux Noix and 
 Isle La Motte, where they were encamped. In the 
 beginning of October General Arnold, with a fleet of 
 gun-boats, sloops, etc. , met them some distance beyond 
 Crown Point, when a severe action took place. Ar- 
 nold fought bravely, but was defeated with considerable 
 loss, and many of his vessels fell into the enemy's 
 hands. Upon this defeat, the British army marched 
 upon Crown Point, six miles from Ticonderoga, which 
 they took possession of on the 15th. Upon this near 
 approach of the enemy General Gates had every thing 
 placed in readiness to resist an immediate attack, and 
 the necessary orders were issued in rapid succession. 
 The American army was in high spirits at the prospect 
 of an engagement, and looked forward with much 
 confidence to victory. Word was brought by the 
 scouts, on the morning of the 28th, that the enemy 
 were approaching the American hues by land and 
 water. The alarm-guns were fired, and the troops 
 marched to their respective positions, prepared for 
 battle. All was excitement and bustle. This move- 
 ment, however, proved only a feint to cover a reeon- 
 
LIFE AND CHAKACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 37 
 
 noitering party, and the troops, much out of humor, 
 were marched back again to their encampments. 
 From this time to the 13th of November nothing of 
 importance took place, when information was received 
 that the British army had evacuated the works at 
 Crown Point and retired to St. John's, in order to go 
 into winter-quarters, thus closing the campaign and 
 giving up the contest until the opening of the next 
 spring, when they hoped to be better prepared to carry 
 on operations against the colonies. 
 
 The retirement of the British army into winter- 
 quarters also closed the campaign of 1776, on the part 
 of the Americans, on the northern frontiers. A part 
 of the troops returned home, the balance went into 
 winter-quarters, and Colonel Wayne was placed in 
 command, by order of General Gates. He ordered 
 one officer from each company to return home to enlist 
 men for the war, to fill up the ranks of those then in 
 service. Captain Lacey was one of those selected for 
 that duty, from the 4th regiment, and, as Colonel 
 Wayne approved the selection, he immediately j)re- 
 pared to return home. The following is his account 
 of the journey homeward : 
 
 " In a few days after, we left the encampment, 
 crossed Lake George in batteaux, proceeded on through 
 Albany, and down the North River by water, about 
 sixty miles, when we struck across the country, to 
 avoid the enemy ; came through the town of Esopus, 
 and struck the river Delaware some distance above the 
 Blue Mountains ; crossed the river and continued our 
 course through Pennsylvania; passed the Wind-Gap 
 
38 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 in the Blue Mountains ; came by Nazareth and Beth- 
 lehem ; crossed the Lehigh river at the last mentioned 
 place ; and, after traveling a few miles, I left the other 
 officers, and came to Durham, and from thence took 
 the main road through Bucks county to my father's, 
 in Buckingham township, where I once more arrived 
 in safety, about the first of December, and found the 
 family all well." 
 
LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 39 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 CAPTAIN LACEY found, on his return home, 
 that quite a change had taken place in his own 
 neighborhood and in the county generally. When he 
 left, in the winter, every thing was quiet and peaceful ; 
 but now friends and acquaintance were arrayed in 
 hostile opposition. As the war had progressed, and 
 especially since independence was declared, the people 
 had taken sides for and against the cause of the colo- 
 nies, and were extremely bitter in their feelings toward 
 each other. He says : " A sullen, vindictive and 
 malignant spirit seemed to have taken hold of a large 
 portion of the people of the county, whose hostility to 
 the Revolution was too apparent not to be noticed, and 
 seemed only to be waiting for a good opportunity to 
 break forth openly in favor of England, and against 
 their own country. Happily for the Whigs, however, 
 the Tories were a set of poltroons and cowards, afraid 
 openly to espouse their cause and declare themselves ; 
 while the Wliigs, on the other hand, acted openly, 
 avowed their intention and determination to live free 
 
40 LIFE AND CHAKACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 and independent, or die glorionsly in the struggle for 
 their rights. The Tories sneakingly continued to act 
 under cover, giving secret information whenever they 
 could to the British ; ridiculing the American officers, 
 and using every means they could invent to discourage 
 the Whigs and to dissuade them from joining the 
 American army or militia." He further says, that 
 " the hostility of the Tories to independence was so 
 violent, that nothing but cowardice prevented their 
 taking up arms and openly declaring themselves in 
 favor of and joining the British army. They actually 
 did every thing they dared to do, by encouraging the 
 youth to go over and join the British ; and many of 
 the young men were thus sent." 
 
 Among those who were thus hostile to the cause of 
 their country was his own family, and most of his 
 immediate friends and acquaintance. As soon as he 
 returned home, his family made a powerful efibrt to 
 detach him from the cause of his country, and to 
 induce him to take up arms in favor of the British. 
 They brought every possible argument and persuasion 
 to bear upon him, and even went so far as to promise 
 to secure him a commission of field-officer in the Brit- 
 ish army, if he would quit the cause of the colonies. 
 His uncles were particularly anxious to win him over 
 to the English ; and his uncle Abraham Chapman 
 waited upon him, as the representative of the others, 
 and held out many inducements for him to turn traitor. 
 Pour of his cousins had already gone over to the Brit- 
 ish, his uncle told him, and it seemed only to require 
 his disaffection to make the treason of the family com- 
 
I.IFE AND CHAEACTEK OF JOHX LACKY. 41 
 
 plete. But all their efforts made do impression upon 
 him, other than to strengthen his attachment to the 
 cause he had espoused. He was a patriot from the 
 purest motives, and no earthly inducement could cause 
 him to change his allegiance ; neither would he allow 
 any private difhculties with others, in the same service, 
 or real or imaginary injuries received from his superi- 
 ors, to shake his adherence to the cause of the inde- 
 pendence of the colonies. When his uncle Abraham 
 found he could not win him over and make a Tory of 
 him, he then asked him not to betray him, but keep 
 what he had said a profound secret. They never 
 again mentioned the subject to him, but gave him up 
 as a hopeless patriot, past redemption. 
 
 Captain Lacey now determined to put in execution 
 the resolution he had made several months before, of 
 resigning his commission at the conclusion of the cam- 
 paign. He was in a situation to do this with entire 
 piopriety, and without causing any reflection to rest 
 upon him, which might have been the case if he had. 
 resigned while in the enemy's country. But before 
 he took this step, however, he consulted his uncle, 
 John Wilkinson, esquire, who was one of the earliest 
 friends of liberty in the county, and who had helped 
 to form the State constitution, and was then an active 
 member of the Assembly. He laid all his grievances 
 before him, and, upon his advice, he resigned his 
 commission to the Council of Safety, then sitting in 
 Philadelphia, and accompanied it with a narrative of 
 the circumstances that compelled him to take this 
 course. The resignation of his commission was not 
 G 
 
42 LIFE AXD CIIAltACTEIl OF JOHN LACEY, 
 
 in accordance with liis feelings, but induced by what 
 lie deemed a sense of duty to himself, in which he con- 
 sidered his honor and reputation were at stake. He 
 had become much attached to the service, being ex- 
 ceedingly martial in his feelings and prone to the 
 profession of arms. The service lost a valuable officer, 
 but it was not long ere he was called to act in a capa- 
 city of greater usefulness to his cox^ntry. His resigna- 
 tion was accepted, and he retired to the private walks 
 of life. 
 
 He was not allowed to remain long in peace and 
 retirement ; his services were needed for his bleeding 
 country, and he was again called to duty. A new 
 constitution was adopted for Pennsylvania, in 1776, 
 and the Legislature was in session for the first time 
 under it, in the city of Philadelphia, in the winter and 
 spring of 1777, busily engaged in organizing the new 
 State government. In order to arm the people, to 
 oppose the advance of the British the coming campaign, 
 it was deemed necessary to reorganize the militia of 
 the State. To accomplish this desirable object a new 
 militia law was passed the 17th day of March, 1777, 
 to go into effect immediately. The act provided for 
 the appointment of five military officers, one lieutenant 
 with the rank of colonel, and four sub-lieutenants with 
 the rank of lieutenant-colonel, for each county, who 
 were to constitute a sort of civil and military tribunal, 
 to carry the law into operation. This tribunal, among 
 other things, " were to hold courts ; to class and dis- 
 trict the mihtia, and organize them into regiments and 
 companies; to hold the election for officers; to call out 
 
LIFE AND CHAKACTJsU OF JOHX LACEY. 43 
 
 the classes and fiiid substitutes in place of delinquents; 
 to assess, and cause the assessments on delinquents to 
 be collected and paid into the State treasury ; with 
 other extensive powers, enumerated in the law." John 
 Kii'kbride, esquire, one of the members of the Assem- 
 bly, was appointed lieutenant, and Messrs. John Gill, 
 .John Lacey, Samuel Smith and Andrew Keichhne 
 sub-lieutenants, for the- county of Bucks. The com- 
 mission of Captain Lacey was dated the 22(1 day of 
 March, 1777. They immediately entered upon the 
 duties of their appointments, and met at Newtown, 
 within a few days, to organize and proceed to business. 
 They divided the county into five districts, each of 
 which was to furnish a regiment, with the requisite 
 officers, to be elected by the men. They appointed 
 reliable persons in each township, to take the names 
 of all persons between the ages of eighteen and fifty- 
 three years, who speedily made a return of the same, 
 when an election was held for officers, the names of 
 which were sent in to the Executive Council for com- 
 missions. Such was the dispatch with which the 
 several duties which devolved on Colonel Lacey were 
 discharged, that when he carried in his return to the 
 council, he was complimented on being the first to 
 make return. 3Iuch of tlie energy displayed in these 
 proceedings was due to him, whose superior knowledge 
 of military organization enabled him to discharge his 
 duties with promptitude, and at the same time he in- 
 fused some of his own energy and perseverance into 
 his colleagues. John Armstrong, esquire, of Cumber- 
 land county, was appointed major-general, and ^Messrs. 
 
44 LIFE AND CHAIUCTEI; OF JOHN LACET, 
 
 John Cadwalkder, Samuel Meredith and James Potter 
 were appointed brigadier-generals. The militia of the 
 district in which Colonel Lacey lived chose him their 
 lieutenant-colonel, as this office did not interfere with 
 that of sub-lieutenant. His commission was dated tiie 
 6th day of May, 1777, when he immediately assumed 
 the command in accordance with his rank. 
 
 At the opening of the campaign of 1777 every ap- 
 prehension was entertained by the Executive Council, 
 that Pennsylvania woiild be made a point of attack by 
 the British ; and feeling the necessity of being fully 
 prepared to meet such a crisis, the president of the 
 council addressed a strong letter to each of the sub- 
 lieutenants in the several counties. He entreated 
 them, in the strongest terms, to exert themselves to 
 the utmost to have the militia in readiness to meet 
 the enemy at any point at which they might appear, 
 and also be prepared to answer any requisition the 
 commander-in-chief might make upon them. This 
 letter is dated the 16th day of April, 1777, and signed 
 by Thomas Wharton, Jr. , President of the Council ; 
 it breathes a lofty spirit of patriotism, and could not 
 help having the desii'ed effect npon the militia, and 
 rousing up both officers and men to great exertions. 
 The apprehension of a visit from the British army 
 appears to have increased with the State authorities, 
 and soon afterward the following circular was addressed 
 to each lieutenant of the several counties : 
 
 (" CIECULAK.) 
 
 "June 15th, 1777. 
 " SiE : — -The council have received undoubted in- 
 
LIFE AKD CHAEACTIIE OP JOHN LACEY. 45 
 
 telligence that the enemy are on their march witli a 
 numerous army to invade this State. In my letter of 
 the 13th inst. I have ordered that the first class pro- 
 ceed immediately to camp, and that the second be in 
 perfect readiness to march when called upon. Since 
 the express set off with that letter, the movement of 
 the enemy makes it absolutely necessary that the sec- 
 ond class be also ordered instantly to camp ; and as you 
 value your Freedom we entreat you to exert yourself 
 to have the third class ready to march at a moment's 
 warning ; for, next to the blessing of Providence, our 
 Liberty and safety depend upon the virtuous eiforts of 
 the people. A letter has been written by the general 
 oflicers to you and the other lieutenants of the counties, 
 to order out the whole militia. Although this has 
 been done with a good intention, as they are zealously 
 attached to the cause, yet the council are of opinion 
 it may tend to confusion, and that these gentlemen did 
 not properly consider the embarrassment which would 
 ensue upon such a step. 
 
 " You are, therefore, hereby ordered, without loss 
 of time, to march the first and second class to Bristol, 
 and to put in readiness the third class also, as there is 
 too much reason to suppose they will be ordered out 
 as soon as they can possibly be equipped. A compli- 
 ance with tlie militia law is the only means whereby 
 the fines and forfeitures of delinquents can be recovered. 
 It is therefore recommended by the councU, that a 
 strict attention be paid to the direction of the law, and 
 particularly that the greatest regard be had to that 
 part of it which directs the procuring of substitutes — 
 
46 LTFE AND C'i lAEACTKi: OF JOllX LACEY. 
 
 which you are to exert yourself to obtain by every 
 means the law will justify. 
 
 " As there are many worthy persons who may not 
 fall in either of the classes mentioned, whose warm 
 attachment to the cause of Freedom may induce them 
 to turn out as volunteers, the service of these gentle- 
 men, at this important and critical time, will be most 
 thankfully received by the council, which I beg you to 
 make known as opportunity may oifer. 
 " I am, Sir, 
 
 "Your very humble servant, 
 (Signed,) "Tnos. Whakton, Jun., Pres't. 
 
 " To Joseph Kiekbeide, Esq., 
 Lieut. Bucks County." 
 
 Colonel Lacey appears to have been opposed to 
 calling out the militia en masse, and, wdth the council, 
 entertained serious apprehensions that such a course 
 would derange their whole system, and do much 
 harm. But at the same time if it was deemed best to 
 pursue such a course, he signified his willingness to 
 give all the aid in his power. He seemed to liave 
 only one desire, and that was to defeat the enemy and 
 establish the liberties of his country. He wrote his 
 views fully to Colonel Kirkbride, on the 16th of June, 
 from Buckingham, and sent the letter by his brother. 
 
 In the meantime the enemy had embarked from 
 New York for the Chesapeake, and there was no longer 
 any doubt but that Philadelphia was the point of at- 
 tack. The whole country became alarmed, and the 
 most patriotic appeals were made by the State authori- 
 ties to the militia, to induce them to turn out promptly 
 
LIFE AND CHAliACTElt ill" JOHN LACEY. 4/ 
 
 to repel the invasion. Washington with his army ^vas 
 hastening from the East to the supposed point of at tack, 
 and the Executive Council, in Philadelpnia, were doing 
 all in their power to support the commander-in-chief. 
 They issued frequent orders to the lieutenants of the 
 several counties to have their forces in readiness, and 
 were active in their efforts to further the cause of their 
 country. The officers of Bucks county were very 
 energetic during this period, but none exhibited as 
 much efficiency as Colonel Lacey, whose previous ex- 
 perience fitted him in a peculiar manner to discharge 
 the duties which now devolved upon him. The presi- 
 dent of the council wrote to Colonel Kirkbride, on the 
 31st of July, that two hundred and twenty-eight sail 
 of the enemy's fleet were at the capes of the Delaware, 
 and urged him to liave the class of the militia ordered 
 out marched to Chester as soon as possible. During the 
 latter part of the summer and fall, several drafts were 
 made from the militia to join the main army, under 
 Washington, and in every instance Bucks county fur- 
 nished her full quota. The battle of Brandywine was 
 fought on the 11th of September, and on the 2tjth the 
 British army entered Philadelphia in triumph. Wash- 
 ington, with the American army, crossed the Schuyl- 
 kill, and took up a strong position on the Skippack 
 creek, and the 4th of October he attacked the British 
 in their encampment at Germantown, at daylight, but 
 again failed in his object, and was obliged to retreat. 
 Colonel Lacey was in this action, but had no command ; 
 he appears to have been a volunteer upon the occasion. 
 As a matter of general interest to the reader, we here 
 
48 LIFE AND CHARACTER OP JOHN LACEY. 
 
 insert his own account of the engagement. He ex- 
 presses himself with much clearness, and exhibits no 
 mean knowledge of military affairs. 
 
 " General Howe having placed a part of his troops 
 on the heights of Germantown, a village about five 
 miles from the city, General Washington conceived 
 this to be a suitable object to strike at. He accord- 
 ingly put his troops in motion, and made a vigorous 
 attack on the enemy, who were unaj)prised of his 
 movements, until their sentinels hailed the advanced 
 columns of our troops. These rushing forward drove 
 the enemy on all quarters, and took possession of their 
 camp. This would have been a decisive day in favor 
 of America, had not the American troops halted to 
 dislodge a few of the enemy, who had taken shelter in 
 a large stone house belonging to Benjamin Chew; 
 which so retarded their progress that the enemy had 
 time to rally ; and being supported by fresh troops 
 from the city, the Americans were arrested in their 
 pursuit. Broken parties coming up (in pursuit of the 
 flying enemy) to the newly formed line of the British 
 troops, were unable to force them a second time, and 
 had to fall back. The enemy taking advantage of 
 their disorder advanced. The Americans not being 
 able to form were pushed back in their turn. 
 
 " The general, finding the day lost, ordered a retreat 
 — which was effected in tolerable order. Thus ended 
 an aft'air which at the onset promised so favorably, and 
 which we had every reason to believe, had it not been 
 for the stoppage at Chew's house, would have resulted 
 in a complete victory ; but He who holds the destinies 
 
LIFE ANI> ( IIAHACTEI! OF JOHN" LACl^Y. 4!) 
 
 of battles and events in his own hand had decreed 
 otherwise. Ai'tei" this the enemy retired to the city, 
 and General "Washington encamped in a very advan- 
 tageous position, on the Heights of White ilarsli. 
 
 " Although I had no command at this time I was 
 with the militia in the above affair. They were posted 
 on the right of the American army, ^vith orders to 
 turn the enemy's left. Before they came to the place 
 allotted to them, the enemy were gone ; and their 
 new line was formed so far to the left, I saw there was 
 little likelihood of our coming in contact with them. 
 I rode forward to where the main army was engaged, 
 and had an opportunity of seeing the manner in wliich 
 the business was conducted. We had full possession 
 of the enemy's camp, which was on fire in several 
 places. Dead and wounded men were strewed about 
 in all quarters. When the order for retreat came the 
 American troops were in much disorder. Those in 
 front — drivea back by the enemy — and falling on those 
 in the rear increased the confusion, and rendered it 
 impossible to form in such order as to oppose the ad- 
 vancing enemy. A general retreat was inevitably 
 necessary to save the American army from a general 
 route. 
 
 " The affair at Chew's house was not, in my judg- 
 m.ent, the only cause of the loss of this battle. There 
 were others equally important. General Green's divi- 
 sion — composing the left wing of the army — was either 
 led astray by their guides, or mistook their way, and 
 wandered so far to the left that they never came into 
 action. The right wing, composed of about four thou- 
 7 
 
■¥) UFTL AX1> CIIAUACTEK OF JOHX LACEY, 
 
 sand Pennsylvania militia — in like manner being so 
 far to the right, never saw the enemy that day. Had 
 they acted their part equally with the centre, which 
 was commanded in person by General Washington, 
 and pushed the enemy's flanks with spirit and alacrity, 
 as they ought to have done, the enemy must have been 
 prevented from forming a second line, which they did 
 without opposition — and after rallying bad none to 
 contend with but the centre division of the American 
 army, and only a part of that — the other portion hav- 
 ing halted at Chew's house. Those who did advance 
 in pursuit, being broken and out of order, were unable 
 to make any impression upon the enemy, thus drawn 
 up in order, and consequently soon gave way. TJie 
 fate of the day, so favorable to the American arms at 
 the outset, instantly changed. General Washington, 
 perceiving the day to be lost, gave a general oider 
 for i-etreat." 
 
 The above is of interest because it was written by 
 an eye-witness, and has never before appeared in print. 
 
 Toward the latter end of October, the Executive 
 Council ordered out another class of the militia, to 
 supply the place of those whose term of seivice was 
 about to expire. They were ordered to rendezvous at 
 .Newtown in the beginning of November, and were 
 placed in command of Lieutenant- Colonel Lacey. He 
 marched from thence to White Marsh with a force of 
 some three or four hundred men, and joined the bri- 
 gade of General Potter. The British soon after took 
 post at Chestnut Hill, ^^hen the two armies being 
 within sight of eacli other, almost daily encounters 
 
LIFE AXD CHAEACTEK OF JOHX LACEY. 51 
 
 took place between them. Colonel Lacey with his 
 regiment was in several of these combats, and in every 
 instance behaved with great credit. The enemy, de- 
 clining a general engagement, retired to the city, and 
 General Potter's brigade took up a position on the 
 west side of the Schuylkill, near the Gulf Mills, On the 
 main road leading to Philadelphia. Here the Ameri- 
 cans were attacked the next niorning by the British, 
 and a severe combat ensued. Colonel Lacey with his 
 regiment occupied the centre of the first line, consist- 
 ing of three regiments, and was drawn up on an emi- 
 nence, with the right resting on the main road. The 
 other two regiments fled at the first fire, but Lacey's 
 stood their ground and exchanged shots with the 
 enemy until they began to outflank him, when he fell 
 back in good order to the second line, under General 
 Potter, drawn up on a height, about half a mile in the 
 rear. The enemy rushed on and in a short time com- 
 pelled the second fine to give way also. Lacey with 
 his regiment covered the retreat of the flying militia, 
 and tried, in vain, to rally them to make further 
 resistance. Soon a general rout ensued, and he was 
 obliged to join the main body and hasten oif the field 
 as rapidly as possible. In his efforts to rally the scat- 
 tered forces he came near being captured, the account 
 of which we give in his own words, as follows : 
 
 " I was among the rear, and having in attempting 
 to rally the men got some distance froin the road, I 
 came to a fence, which I got my horse over witli much 
 difficulty : but on coming to a second fence, after 
 passing over a field, (it being one side of a lane leading' 
 
u2 LIFE AND CHAllACTEl! OF JOHN LACEl'v 
 
 from the Schuylkilll to tlie Gulf road, and a stout 
 fence,) I called to the men who were passing over it 
 to throw off a rider. All being in such a hurry, and 
 thinking of nothing but self-preservation, they took 
 no notice, but left me to get over as well as I could. 
 Twice did I run my horse against the fence without 
 effect ; on the third effort it gave way. I found my- 
 self in a lane and set off at full-speed for the main road, 
 about two hundred yards distant, on entering which I 
 discovered a column of the enemy's horse on the top 
 of the hill about fifty yards from me. They called to 
 me to surrender. I halted ; but on casting my eyes 
 down the road I saw our flying troops about two hun- 
 dred yards below. By a mere mechanical movement, 
 without time to think, I clapped spurs to my horse, 
 and, lying flat up his withers, went at full speed after 
 them. The enemy fired their pistols or carbines at 
 me, and I heard the bullets whisp by me. Two dra- 
 goons pursued me, and finding them gaining upon me 
 as I came up with the hindmost troops, I ordered our 
 men to turn about and fire. Several muskets were 
 discharged as the men ran, by firing off their shoulders, 
 without stopping or turning about. Conceiving myself 
 in more danger, by this mode of firing, from my own 
 men than from the enemy, I called upon them to 
 desist, or they would shoot me. On my gaining the 
 rear of our retreating troops, one of the dragoons took 
 up his horse ; but the other horse, being too mettle- 
 some, refused to yield to his rider ; they dashed in 
 among our men and were both shot down together. 
 The transaction was so sudden and instantaneous that 
 
LIFE AND LltARACTEE OF JOHX LACEV. Urt 
 
 it was impossible to save either the man or the horse, 
 more than twenty gnns being fired at them in the 
 same moment." 
 
 General Washington, in his orders, complimented 
 the regiment of Lieutenant-Colonel Lacey for the 
 handsome manner in which they behaved in this affair. 
 The loss of the Americans was one officer and seven- 
 teen men. General Potter with his brigade now 
 marched to Swede's Ford, where they met the main 
 arm}^ nnder Washington, on their way to go into win- 
 ter-quarters. It was about the middle of December, 
 and the weather had become cold and wintry, yet the 
 services of the militia in the field could, not be dis- 
 pensed with, and they were again ordered to take post 
 on the west side of the Schuylkill, in order to watch 
 the enerny and cover the main army while building 
 their huts at the Valley Forge. A court-martial, of 
 which Colonel Lacey was appointed judge-advocate, 
 was here convened by order of General Potter, to try 
 such men as threw away their arms and equipments at 
 the Gulf ]\Iills, in order to facilitate their escape. 
 Some were sentenced to be publicly whipped, M-hich 
 sentence was carried into effect and caused much dis- 
 turbance in camp. In a few days the brigade was 
 ordered to join the rest of the militia at North Wales, 
 under the command of General Armstrong, who was 
 the major-general of all the militia laised in the State. 
 On their arrival at General Armstrong's head-quarters, 
 Colonel Lacey with his regiment was ordered to 
 proceed to the Cross Roads, now Hartsville, near the 
 Neshaminy. He continued his march, and encamped 
 
o4 LIFE AND CHARACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 OH the 20th day of December in a wood about half-way 
 between the cross-roads and the Billet, near Hat- 
 borough, in Montgomery county. He established his 
 quarters in a house near the camp, and mentions that 
 he there slept in a house for the first time for two 
 months. He had only been in camp three days, when 
 he received an order from General Armstrong, in pur- 
 suance of an order from General Washington, to march 
 his regiment the next morning to the lower end o 
 Germantown, without baggage, with cooked provi- 
 sions, and one axe to each company, and there await 
 further orders. Being there joined by the whole of 
 the Pennsylyania militia, they marched toward Phila- 
 delphia, and commenced an attack on the outposts of 
 the enemy in the Northern Liberties, with cannon and 
 small arms. After remaining under arms for some 
 time, without any serious demonstration being made, 
 they were ordered to return to their camps ; when 
 Colonel Lacey marched his regiment back to his former 
 position near the Cross Koads. As the service of his 
 men would expire the last of December, he had only 
 time to have them mustered and paid off before that 
 period arrived, when they were discharged and re- 
 turned to their respective homes. 
 
LU^E AM) CH.VRACTKU OF .ioU\ LAC'KY. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 'Tt^f'MTH the foregoing operations on the Schuylkill, 
 i^^S and before Philadelphia, was closed the cam- 
 paign of 1777 in this section of the country. Colonel 
 Lacey, on the discharge of his regiment, returned to 
 liis father's house, in the township of Buckingham, 
 where he hoped to be able to spend the winter in 
 peace and quiet. But in this he was disappointed, 
 from two causes : first, hcfause he was soon again 
 called into the service of his country, in a new and 
 more useful situation ; and secondly, because the To- 
 ries and Refugees in that neighborhood continually 
 harassed him, and gave him no rest while he remained 
 at home. He had rendered himself so obnoxious to 
 them by his activity in the ^^.merican cause that they 
 made many threats against his life, and also threatened 
 to burn his father's house and mills for harboring him. 
 He complains at this time of the course the Whigs 
 took as doing much injury to the American cause — ■ 
 that many of the most active were seeking hiding- 
 places, and some were even courtinp; the Tories in the 
 
56 LIKE AXD CHAUAC'TER 01' JOllX LACEV. 
 
 neighborhood, to secure their safety — that an open 
 and notorious communication was kept up between the 
 city and country, to carry provisions and information 
 to the Bi-itish. Tlie opposition to the cause of the 
 colonies had increased, and the near proximity of the 
 British army had so much elated the disaffected that 
 they openly threatened vengeance against all who dare 
 oppose them. It was almost dangerous for an open, 
 active patriot to live in the neighborhood, and at one 
 time Colonel Lacey had serious thoughts of removing 
 farther back into the! interior, both on account of 
 greater safety, and to get rid of the constant annoy- 
 ance to which he was subjected.- 
 
 This disaffection extended to such a degree through- 
 out the country, during the time- Washington with his 
 army lay at the Valley Forge, that in many instances 
 he found it very difficult to procure tlie necessary 
 supplies for his troops. The military chest was quite 
 empty, and the inhabitants would not furnish anything 
 to the army without pay, unless they were obliged to 
 do so by force. The soldiers were in great want of 
 straw, which could not be had because the farmers, 
 most of whom were hostile in the neighborhood of 
 the camp, would not thresh their grain. To put a stop 
 to this evasion Washington issued the following order, 
 which we have no doubt brought the offending farmers 
 to their senses : 
 "jBy His Excellency, George Washington, Esquire, 
 
 General a7icl Cominan(Ler-in-chief of the Forces of 
 
 the United States of America. 
 
 " By virtue of the power and direction to me 
 
LITE -WD CHARACl'EK 01' JOHN LACEY. 57 
 
 "especially given, I hereby enjoin and require all per- 
 sons residing within seventy miles of my head-quarters 
 to thresh one-half of their grain by the first day of 
 March next ensuing, on pain, in case of failure, of 
 having all that shall remain in. sJieaves after the period 
 above mentioned, seized by the commissaries and 
 quarter-masters of the army and paid for as sircac. 
 Given under my hand, at head-quarters, near the 
 Valley Forge, in Philadelphia coimty, this 20th day of 
 December, 1777. 
 
 (Signed,) "G. "V^'ashixutox. 
 
 " By His Excellency's command, 
 
 " Egbert H. Haerisox, Secretary. " 
 
 General Lacey was not suffered, however, long to 
 remain idle. At the opening of the year 1778 his 
 sphere of usefulness was much enlarged by being 
 appointed a brigadier -general in the militia of Pennsyl- 
 vania, and assigned to the discharge of most arduous 
 and important duties. He received the following 
 communication, announcing his appointment, from tlj.e 
 president of the Executive Council : 
 
 "Lancaster, January 9th, 1778. 
 
 "Sir: — i'ou are this day appointed a brigadier- 
 general of this State, and the secretary will, by Colonel 
 Hart, forward to you a commission empowering you 
 to act as such. 
 
 " Brigadier-General Potter has obtained leave to 
 visit his family, and you are to take the command in 
 ■his absence. 
 
 " Two classes of the militia from the county of York, 
 tMo from the county of Cumberland, two from the 
 
i>« LIFE AND CHAKACTEE OF JOHN LACEY, 
 
 county of Northampton, and one from the county of 
 Northumberland, are now ordered into the field, and 
 the lieutenants of the counties of Philadelphia and of 
 Bucks are directed to supply you with twenty light- 
 horse each, without officers, as they must be necessarily 
 divided into small parties where ofiicers will be useless. 
 " I am, sir, 
 
 " Your very humble servant, 
 (Signed,) " Tiios. Whaiiton, Jr., Pres. 
 
 "To Beig.-Gen. Lacey, at camp." 
 
 Accompanying the above was the following from 
 the secretary of the Executive Council, enclosing his 
 commission : 
 
 " Lancaster, January 9th, 1778. 
 
 " SiE : — Enclosed is a commission authoring yon to 
 act as a brigadier-general in the militia of this State. 
 
 " I congratulate you on this appointment, which, at 
 the same time it does you honor in acknowledging your 
 merit as an officer, affords a reasonable ground of hope 
 for benefit to the public, by calling you into the field 
 in an important station. I sincerely wish you success, 
 and am, with great respect, 
 
 " Your very humble sei'vant, 
 (Signed,) " T. Matlack, Secretary. 
 
 " To Beig.-Gen. Lacey, at camp." 
 
 The bestowal of this commission was conferrine; a 
 high honor upon Colonel Lacey, and when we consider 
 that at this time he was not yet twenty-three years of 
 age, arid was promoted over the lieutenants and also 
 the sub-lieutenants of the different counties, who were 
 older in vears than himself, and manv of whom out- 
 
LIFE AND CHAKACTEll UF JullN LACEY. Oil 
 
 ranked Mm, it appears more than a simple approval of 
 merit, and exhibits the great confidence reposed in 
 him by the Executive Council. His future activity 
 and usefulness showed this trust was not misplaced. 
 It would be but natural to suppose that the appoint- 
 ment of so young a man, over the heads of older oflicers, 
 would have created a jealousy on their part toward 
 him ; such, however, was not the case, because they 
 all knew his superior qualifications for the station he 
 was called to fill. As evidence of the satisfaction his 
 appointment gave to the militia officers of his own 
 county, it need only be mentioned that Colonel Kirk- 
 bride, the heutenant of Bucks, wrote him the moment 
 he heard of his promotion. His letter is dated at 
 Bellevue, 13th of January, 1778, in which he compU- 
 ments him upon his appointment, while he regrets the 
 loss of so able and efficient a sub-lieutenant. As soon 
 as General Lacey received his commission, he prepared 
 to enter upon the discharge of his new duties, which 
 were onerous enough to have shaken the confidence of 
 a more experienced officer. 
 
 This honor was none the less pleasing because it was 
 unsolicited ; as the first intimation he had of it was 
 the notification of his appointment from the president 
 of the council. At first he thought of refusing the 
 commission, because of his youth and want of confi- 
 dence in himself to fill so high a station ; but upon 
 reflection he concluded to accept, as it might afford 
 him a better opportunity to serve his country, in whose 
 cause his heart was fully enlisted. He immediately 
 received a very pressing invitation from General Potter 
 
6U LIFE AND CHARACTEK OF JOHX LA(.EY. 
 
 to come and see him at camp ; but wlien he arrived 
 there he found the general had left, and things were 
 in great confusion, of which he gives the following 
 account. He says,. " I found the camp in a deplorable 
 condition ; Ma,jor-General Armstrong and General 
 Potter gone, the number of the troops reduced from 
 about three thousand to six hundred ; those lately 
 departed had left their camp-equipage strewed every- 
 where — muskets, cartouch-boxes, camp-kettles and 
 blankets — some in and some out of the huts the men, 
 had left, with here and there a tent, some standing 
 and some fallen down. No one seeming to have the 
 charge or care of them, my first efforts were made ta 
 have them collected and sent off to a place of safety. 
 How easy it would have been for a few of the enemy to 
 have driven the scattered militia at the different posts 
 on the roads leading to Philadelphia. Not more than, 
 sixty rank and file being at this camp, the destruction, 
 of near three thousand stand of arms and accoutrements 
 here might have been, easily effected, which the enemy 
 most certainly would have done had they known the 
 Unprotected state these arms were in." 
 
 The above conditior^ of things at camp shows not 
 a very fiattering prospect under which the general was 
 to commence his new career. The obstacles he had 
 to contend against seemed almost insurmoiantable ; but 
 his iron will and steady perseverance overcame them 
 all. The responsibilities he now assumed were arduous 
 and harassing in the extreme, and it is cause of aston- 
 ishment that he discharged them so as to give such 
 entire satisfaction to the commander-ia-chief. The 
 
LIFE AND CHilEACTEK OF ,I01F\ LACFY. dl 
 
 British lay in snug winter-quarters in Philadelphia, 
 enjoying themselves amid the comforts and luxuries of 
 the capital ; while Washington and his band of heroes 
 were quartered in rude aud cheerless huts near "\"alley 
 Forge, where they suffered from cold, want of pro- 
 visions and many other causes. The enemy made 
 freqiient incursions from Philadelphia into the country, 
 to obtain provisions and forage, as well as to strike 
 terror into the minds of the few inhabitants who re- 
 mained loyal to the cause of the colonies. The 
 country people were also in the daily practice of carry- 
 ing produce of all kinds into the city, which thej' sold 
 to the enemy for a high price ; and at the same time 
 gave them much valuable information as to the situ- 
 ation of affairs in the surrounding country. These 
 spies, for they were in reality such, informed them 
 who were the most active Whigs, and where they 
 lived ; and it was not infrequent that strong parties of 
 the enemy came out from the city in the night, sur- 
 prised and carried off as prisoners the most useful 
 citizens, besides burning houses, barns, mills, and 
 doing other damage to propert3^ Mills on some of 
 the streams wei-e secretly engaged in grinding grain 
 for the use of the British army, which was conveyed 
 into the city under a strong escort. It was the desire 
 of Washingt(ttl to break up this dangerous connection 
 betw^n the town and country, and to General Lacey, 
 with his raw militia, was intrusted this important 
 duty. The situation of Washington in winter-quarters, 
 west of the Schuylkill, prevented him from checking 
 these incursions, and, besides, his force M'as too weak 
 
62 LIFE jVND CHARACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 to spare any part of it for this purpose. His field of 
 operations extended from the Schxiylkill to the Dela- 
 ware ; and the district of country between these two 
 rivers was placed under his jurisdiction. His situation, 
 while it was full of responsibility, was at the same time 
 dangerous and delicate. All the surrounding country 
 was much disaffected, and in many parts the inhabi- 
 tants were open in their adherence to the British. 
 The enemy had declared they would have him dead 
 or alive, and their spies watched him so closely that 
 all his movements were well known to them. The 
 troops he had under him were raw militia, badly armed 
 and equipped, and almost entirely unused to the duties 
 of a soldier ; they were slow coming into the field, and 
 often, at the expiration of their period of service, he 
 was left almost without a command. And then, to 
 add to his unpleasant situation, he was often obliged 
 to dismantle the mills, and to destroy the crops and 
 other private property of his relations, friends and 
 neighbors, to prevent them falling into the hands of 
 the enemy. Now when we consider that he was a 
 young man, not yet twenty-three years of age, and 
 without much experience in the world, when he as- 
 sumed this command, we become sensible to the trying 
 position ia which he was placed. He shrunk from no 
 duty, however unpleasant it might be, but carried out 
 every order of Washington in the most decided man- 
 ner, and with strict impartiality. He passed the winter 
 and spring in scouring the country within the limits 
 of his command, and during this time he was engaged 
 in several dangerous enterprises against the enemy. 
 
LIFE AND CHAKACTEK OF JOHX LACEY. 63 
 
 Soon after General Lacey assumed the command of 
 his brigade, Washington addressed him the following 
 letter, in the shape of instructions as'to_the line of duty- 
 he was to be employed in. It was dated : 
 
 " Head-Qdaetees, Valley Foege, 
 "Jan. 23, 1778. 
 
 " SiE: — I received your favor dated the 21st inst. 
 I must request that you will exert yourself to fulfill the 
 intention of keeping a body of troops in the country 
 where you are posted. Protecting the inhabitants is 
 one of the ends designed, and preventing supplies and 
 intercourse with the enemy and city is the other. 
 This, perhaps, with the utmost vigilance cannot be 
 totally effected ; but I must entreat you to take every 
 step that may render it possible. As to the reduction 
 of 3'our numbers, I wish you to make timely applica- 
 tion to the President of the State, to keep up the 
 necessary force under your command. 
 
 " I am well informed that many persons, under the 
 pretence of furnishing the inhabitants of Germantown, 
 and near the enemy's lines, afford immense supplies to 
 the Philadelphia market — a conduct highly prejudicial 
 to us and contrary to every order. It is therefore 
 become proper to make an example of some guilty 
 one, that the rest may expect a like fate should they 
 persist. This I am determined to put into execution; 
 and request you when a suitable object falls into your 
 hands that you will send him here with a witness ; or 
 let me know his name, when you shall have power to 
 try, and (if proved guilty) to execute. This you will 
 be pleased to make known to the people, that they 
 
64 LIFE AND CHARACTEE OF KiUX LACET. 
 
 may again have warning. Your want of whiskey I 
 cannot remedy — we are in the same situation here, 
 and nothing effectual can be done until the arrival of 
 the Committee of Congress, whom we expect every 
 day. 
 
 " I am, sir, 
 
 " Your most humble servant, 
 (Signed,) " Geo. Washington." 
 
 General Lacey first established his head-quarters at 
 Graham (or Graeme) Park, situated near the county 
 line, not far from where the Doylestown and Willow 
 Grove turnpike crosses that road. He fixed his depot 
 ■of provisions and stores at Doylestown, because of 
 the security of the place, where he also stationed a 
 small guard for their protection. He wrote the presi- 
 dent of the council from camp, the 24th of January, 
 <;omplainiug of the slowness with which the militia 
 ■came in, and stated that his numbers were not adequate 
 to prevent communication with the city. He says his 
 force was as follows : "About seventy rank and file at 
 his camp at Smithfield, and at the Spring House and 
 Plymouth about three hundred." This was a very 
 small force to watch such an extensive scope of country 
 •as was intrusted to him. He considered his situation 
 too much exposed where he was for the strength of his 
 force, and deemed it ad^^isable to move farther into the 
 country, to wait reinforcements. For this purpose 
 he changed his camp to liodmcai's farm, in Warwick, 
 where he had his head-quarters until about the first of 
 March, when he moved down the York road to the 
 Crooked Billet, now Hatborough, where he encamped. 
 
J JKE AXD CHAliACTEr. OF JOHX LACEY. 65 
 
 The oamp at " G. Rodman's, Warwick," was on what 
 is now known as the Poor House farm ; and the Mr. 
 Rodman mentioned was a sterling patriot of tliose 
 days, and, like General Lacey, was excommunicated 
 from the Friends' meeting for taking sides with the 
 ■colonies. He answered Washington's letter of the 23d 
 from Rodman's farm, and mentioned among other 
 things an accident which took place in cava-p on the 
 -24th. A spark of fire communicated with the cart- 
 ridges, by which about six thousand were destroyed, 
 •some tents and cartridge-boxes consumed, and five 
 -men severely burned. He also states in the same letter 
 that the communication with the city was chiefly car- 
 ried on by women. 
 
 Up to ihe 2d of February, nearly a month after he 
 took the command of the brigade, none of the militia, 
 -either from Northumberland, Cumberland, York or 
 jSTorthampton counties, had joined him, and only two 
 horsemen from Philadelphia and Bucks. With this 
 small force he found it impossible to accomplish any 
 ■thing, and to add to his other causes of trouble, his 
 men were so badly supplied with rations by the proper 
 department, that two-thirds of their time, when not 
 ■engaged in other duty, was employed in collecting 
 provisions. The want of a properly organized com- 
 missariat seems to have been a great drawback upon 
 the efficiency of his operations when he first assumed 
 the command, and the abuses which grew out of it 
 caused much murmuring among the people. Troops 
 when not supplied by the proper State authoiities 
 will pillage in spite of all their oflicers can do, and in 
 9^ 
 
66 LIFE AND CHAIJACTKR OF JOHN LACJCY, 
 
 this iustaiice tliey did not refrain from it. Sometimes 
 parties of militia, witli arms in their hands, went through 
 the country without authority and took articles by 
 force, indiscriminately from friend and foe. This con- 
 duct rendered the service unpopular with many — they 
 deemed it bad enough to be robbed by their enemies, 
 but entirely insupportable when thus treated by those 
 whom they considered friends and had a right to look 
 to for protection. Of course, General Lacey suffered 
 by this conduct, but as soon as it came to his knowl- 
 edge he took immediate measures to remedy the evil 
 complained of. This he accomplished by organizing 
 as soon as possible a commissary department, by which 
 means supplies were regularly furnished his command, 
 except now and then, in a case of great necessity, he 
 was obliged to levy contributions upon the inhabitants, 
 but which was always done under orders and by direc- 
 tion of an officer, vouchers being given for whatever 
 was taken. Private pillage by the soldiers was entirely 
 broken up, and the murmurings of the people quieted. 
 The intercourse between the city and country was 
 kept up, in spite of all the exertions made by General 
 Lacey to put a stop to it, and on the 8th of February 
 Washington wrote him to allow every thing captured 
 going into or coming out of the city, to redoiind to the 
 benefit of the men, in order to incite them to greater 
 activity ; but at the same time the commandei'-in-chief 
 advised him to move his camp nearer the city, and 
 instead of trusting to fixed guards to keep out constant 
 patroles and scouts in every direction. His force by 
 the 15th of February- had dwindled down to sixtv men 
 
LIFE AND CHAKACTEIl OF JOHN LACEY. (37 
 
 iit for duty, not more than sufficient to guard his own 
 camp and stores, and the surrounding country was left 
 almost wholly unprotected from the incursions of the 
 enemy. On the night of the 13th a large body of the 
 enemy's horse came as far up the York road as Butler's 
 tavern, now the Willow Grove, thirteen miles from 
 the city. They took Mr. Butler prisoner, thence went 
 to Major Wright's tavern, near Whitemarsh, capture^ 
 the major and some other persons, and returned in 
 safety. The next night a large body of cavalry and 
 infantry surprised the village of Smithiield, and made 
 some prisoners. On the evening of the 17th Newtown 
 was visited by these marauders, where they took pris- 
 oner Major Murray and some of his men, and robbed 
 the fulling-mill at that place of all the cloth that was 
 in it. The news of the descent upon Newtown reached 
 General Lacey the next morning, when he immediately 
 marched his whole disposable force in that direction, 
 hoping to be able to intercept the enemy in their re- 
 treat, but before he arrived there he learned they had 
 left the place and returned to Philadelphia. ,Vbout 
 the 23d he made an attempt, by order of General 
 Washington, to destroy a large -quantity of hay at 
 Point-no-Point, which it was feared would fall into the 
 hands of the enemy. He made two attempts to destroy 
 it, both of which failed, because his guide deceived 
 him. He again changed his head-quarters, and on the 
 3d of March we find him encamped at the Crooked 
 Billet. In the meantime he had been very active iji 
 the discharge of his arduous duties, but his usefulness 
 Avas much impaired l.)y the smallncss of his uinnljers. 
 
68 LIFE AND CHAEACTEI; OF JOHX LACEr. 
 
 It seemed almost impossible to induce the militia tc 
 turn out, and those who did join hun were mostly 
 without arms, and he had no means of supplying them. 
 About the first of March a large drove of cattle was. 
 captured by the enemy, because he had no men to- 
 protect them, while they were being driven to Wash-- 
 inglon's camp. 
 
 The reader will be able to judge, from the following, 
 letters, of the unpleasant situation in which General 
 Lacey was placed. The first is to General Potter, and- 
 is as follows : 
 
 " Camp, Cjeooked Billet, 
 "March 4th, 1778. 
 
 " Deae General : — You very well know the situ- 
 ation you left me in, and the declining state of the- 
 militia, which at last was reduced so low that I could- 
 not, on the- greatest emergency, parade more than 
 forty men. In this forlorn condition I thought proper 
 to send all the arms and stores belonging to the brigade 
 to Allentown. The time of these forty was to expire- 
 in a few daj^s ; and no tidings of a fresh supply near, 
 I expected to be left alone. In this melancholy pre- 
 dicament I moved my little camp to the banks of the- 
 Neshaminy, where I could not be easily surprised. 
 But to my comfort, a few days before their time ex- 
 pired, near 400 unarmed men arrived from Cumberland! 
 and about 80 from York county. I immediately sent 
 oft" express after express to forward down some arms, 
 which were deposited at Colonel Antes's ; but to my 
 sad misfortune, the whole were unsuccessful. Colonel 
 Antes was from home, and no person left in his room. 
 
LIFE AND CHAEACTEK OF JOHX LACEV, 69* 
 
 to oiBciate. I then detached off wagons, I thought 
 sufficient, to bring the arms to complete my numbers ; 
 but the road proved so bad, they only brought three-- 
 hundred. In the meantime, I picked up one hundred 
 old arms, which had not been moved for want of 
 wagons, and gave them to the men ; but near fifty of 
 them were without flints, and not one flint in camp t& 
 supply them. The evening my arms arrived, my other 
 little party's time expired. Here I was, in the midst 
 of businessj and that all in confusion ; Major Cum- 
 mings, whose business this was to see after, was gone- 
 to Lancaster. At this critical moment a large party 
 of cattle was on the way to camp, the drover of which 
 applied to me for a guard ; but in my tattered condi- 
 tion, I thought myself unable to supply him. I advised 
 him to keep back in the country, where I thought 
 there was no danger ; but he, keeping too low, the- 
 cattle were taken by the enemy the next night near 
 Bartholomew's- tavern. Many censure me for not 
 sending a guard with them, which I think was out of 
 my power in the condition I then was ; for the men 
 had double duty to do for their own safety. From 
 this detail you will be able to see how things have 
 passed since you left me. At this time I am cruelly 
 ofi' for provisions. I keep my men all in one camp as- 
 yet. 
 
 " I am, dear general, etc., 
 (Signed,) "J. Lacey." 
 
 The second was addressed to General Armstrong, 
 and dated 
 
70 LIFE AXD CHARACTER OE JOHN LACEY. 
 
 " Camp, CROOiiEO Billet, 
 "March 4th, 1778. 
 
 " Dear General : — Little did I expect to take the 
 field so soon, when I saw you last ; neither did I expect 
 so much trouble was allotted to me as I have found 
 since I have had the command. I do not mean hard 
 fatigue of body, for that, where things go on smoothly, 
 I pride in ; but it is the incessant fatigue and anxiety 
 of mind of which I complain. I have been turned out 
 into a wide country to protect its inhabitants, and stop 
 an intercourse witli the enemy (which it would require 
 two thousand troops to effect) with only fifty men, 
 which was actually my strength for a long time ; and 
 when a reinforcement came, they were helpless, and 
 without arms, and none in camp. It was some time 
 before the arms (which were at Colonel Antes's and at 
 Allentown) could be brought to camp for the want of 
 wagons. While in this awkward situation, a drove of 
 cattle, which was passing through the country, was 
 taken by the enemy, on account of my not being able 
 to provide them with a guard. 
 
 " We are sadly off for want of provisions. What we 
 do get is almost carrion, and not our allowance of that. 
 " I am, dear general, with respect, 
 
 " Your most obdt. and humble servant, 
 (Signed,) "J. Lacey. 
 
 " General Armstrong." 
 
 The state of afi'airs described in the foregoing letters 
 ssems almost suflicient to have shaken the resolution 
 of any man, or at least to have discouraged him. But 
 it was not so with General Lacey ; he was made of 
 
LIFE AXD CHARACTEIi (iF J(JHX LACEY. i 1 
 
 sterner stuff; his soul was fired with a lofty patriotism, 
 and he allowed no discouraging circumstances to come 
 between him and the duty he owed to his country. 
 He labored on unceasingly, and, whether in prosperity 
 or adversity, he was ever the same unwavering and 
 devoted friend to the cause of liberty. If tried by the 
 dangers by which he was surrounded, and the difficul- 
 ties he had to contend against, he stands forth as true 
 a patriot as was found in the land. He filled up the 
 measure of his duty equal to any officer who served in 
 the armies of the struggling colonies ; and the people 
 of his native county and State should be proud and 
 jealous of his memorj' and reputation. 
 
 We make the two following extracts from General 
 Lacey's correspondence, in order to show how general 
 was the disaffection of the people in the region of 
 country embraced within his field of operations. The 
 first is dated March the 4th, and addressed to the 
 president of the council, as follows : 
 
 " SiE : — It is distressing to learn the number of peo- 
 ple who flock to the enemy with marketing ; amongst 
 whom are many young fellows who have fled from 
 their homes to save their fines, and are carrying on a 
 peddling-trade between the city and country. I have 
 taken several of them who were going to the enemy 
 with parcels of meal on their backs. Some of them I 
 am acquainted with, and I do believe they were going 
 to join the enemy. " 
 
 The second is dated March the 11th, and also ad- 
 dressed to the president of the council. In speaking 
 of scouting around tlie country, he savs : 
 
72 LIFE A'SD CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 " As soon as I approacli within eight or ten miles of 
 the enemy's hnes, the inhabitants, having their horses 
 floncealed in by-places, mount them, and taking their 
 way through fields and private paths repair directly to 
 the city with the intelhgence that the rebels are in the 
 neighborhood. Not one -word of intelligence can we 
 procure from them— not even the du'octions of the 
 ■roads. " 
 
 He rendered himself, by his zeal and activity, parti- 
 ■cularly obnoxious to the Tories and all other disaffected 
 persons, who endeavored to do him all the injury they 
 possibly could. Charges were made against him to 
 Jhis superiors that he showed partiality, and allowed his 
 -own friends and relations to pass to and from the city 
 with impunity, hoping thereby to injure his reputation. 
 But in every case he showed tliat such charges were 
 false and malicious, and propagated by his enemies. 
 So far from showing any partiality to his own friends, 
 he was often obliged to put in execution the most 
 ■stringent orders against his Tory relations ; and some 
 of them were so much embittered against him, for the 
 strictness with which he discharged his duty, that they 
 never forgave him as long as they lived. 
 
 From the Crooked Billet General Lacey with his 
 command, moved down to Whitemarsh, where we find 
 him encamped on the 11th of March. From this place 
 lie made a retiirn of the strength of his brigade, as 
 follows : 
 
 Present at this place, rank and file 399 
 
 On command with cattle do. 50 
 
XIVE A^D C'HAI!ACrEl{ OF JOHN XACKY. /3 
 
 l)o. do. with Captain Henderson and Cap- 
 tain Humpheys, in Bucks connty 50 
 
 At Dojlestown, guarding stores 3."J 
 
 Sick (34 
 
 On farlougli 9 
 
 Deserted 9 
 
 616 
 He remained only a few days in camp at Wliite- 
 •niarsli, when he again moved up toward the Nesha- 
 ;miny in order to protect the mills along that stream, 
 many of which were grinding grain for the army. 
 Some of them had a large stock of grain and flour on 
 hand, and it was feared the enemy might make a sud- 
 den foray and destroy them. In order to prevent the 
 ■<!attle, horses and wagons, forage and all kinds of stock 
 falling into the hands of the enemy, Washington de- 
 ■termined to have them collected and driven to the 
 American army ; giving certilieates to the owners, so 
 that the deserving might, at some fnture day, receive 
 pay. The property of the Tories, in particular, was 
 ■to be taken care of. For the accomplishment of this 
 object. General Wayne issued an order to General La- 
 cey, dated "Bensalem, March 15, 1778," command- 
 ing him to order his troops on this service, and to su- 
 .perinteud the execution thereof. This was a delicate 
 duty, for he had to deal with friends and foes alike, 
 but he discharged this, as he did every other duty, to 
 -the entire satisfaction of the commander-in-chief. 
 We insert the following order, because it has refer- 
 10 
 
74 LIFE A\U CllARACTEi: OF JOIIX LACEV, 
 
 euce to the collection of liorses mentioned above, and 
 also mentions certain villainies practiced upon the in- 
 habitants. It is interesting to the people of Bucks 
 county, because of the locality where it was written. 
 
 " BRIGADE ORDERS. 
 
 "DoYLESTOWN, March 19th, 177<S, 
 
 ^'- Parol, Salem; Countersign, Wilmington. 
 
 " Officer of the day, to-morrow. Major Mitchell. 
 
 "Adjt. of York county, detail 3 captains, 3 ser- 
 geants, 4 corporals, 48 privates. 
 
 ' ' All horses taken from the inhabitants, not received 
 by Colonel Butler, are to be sent to Zenas Fell's, where 
 a guard is appointed to have the care of them until 
 the owners come and take them away. 
 
 " A party of men is to be sent through the neighbor- 
 hood to search for horses, which it is reported some 
 villains, belonging to the militia, have concealed in 
 order to convey away by stealth, when their time ex- 
 pires. Should an}' be found so concealed, they are to 
 be brought to camp, with the persons in whose custody 
 they are found. The persons are to be confined ; who 
 shall suffer the severest punishment. 
 
 " No person whatever is to take any horse, on any 
 pretense, from any of the inhabitants, on the penalty 
 of suffering for their conduct. 
 
 " The General expects that neither field nor inferior 
 officers will quarter out of camp. 
 
 (Signed) "J. Lacey, Brig. Genl." 
 
 About this period the duty also devolved upon Gen- 
 
LIFK AXD CIIAUAd'EU UF JUIIX LACEY. i i) 
 
 eral Lacey of arresting several proDiineut citizens of 
 Bucks county, for their adiierence to and holding in- 
 tercourse with the British. In most cases they were 
 liberated on their parol, being bound, with good securi- 
 ties, in several hundred pounds, not to go out of the 
 county, nor hold communication with the enemy. We 
 do not deem it advisable to mention the names of any 
 of these persons, because their descendants are now 
 living in the county, are people of g(pod standing, and 
 are not responsible for the treason of their ancestors. 
 
 On the 19th of March he placed Lieutenant Rob- 
 ert Vanhorn, of Southampton township, Bucks county, 
 in command of a troop of horse, with the following 
 instructions for his guidance: 
 
 "Camp, March 19th, 1778. 
 
 " Sir: — You are to proceed with your troop toward 
 the enemy's lines — to keep on the roads leading to 
 Bristol, to Smithfield, the York and the Whitemarsh 
 roads. You will keep constant patrols on these roads, 
 by night and day ; and if the enemy should come out, 
 you will immediately send me notice. If your parties 
 should meet with any people going to market, or any 
 persons whatever going to the city, and they endeavor 
 to make their escape, you will order your men to iire 
 upon the villains. You will leave such on the roads, 
 their bodies and their marketing lying together. This 
 I wish you to execute on the first offenders you meet, 
 that they may be a warning to others. You are to let 
 no person whatever go to the city. You are to stay 
 on the lines until further orders. You will send me 
 word of your movements, and what information vou 
 
76 LIfK iiND CHARACTER OF JOHS LACET, 
 
 can get of the enemy, every day, by one of the'troopi- 
 "I am, sir, your most obdt., 
 (Signed) "J. Lacey. 
 
 " To Mr. Vanhoex, 
 
 " Commanding the Light-Horse," 
 
 During this season General Lacey and his small party 
 were very active in scouring the couutry for many 
 miles around Philadelphia. His force at some times- 
 was so much reduced that he was obliged to keep them, 
 in one body, and headed them himself, in expeditions- 
 against the enemy. He was closely watched by the- 
 British and Tories, and, as the spring opened, they 
 were more active in their exertions to capture him. In. 
 order to avoid surprise, he frequently changed his- 
 camp, and would not remain in some localities more 
 than two or three days. By being thus constantly on 
 his guard, he escaped the parties of tlie enemy who- 
 were sent out to surprise him. 
 
 By the end of March-i the intercourse with the enemy 
 in Philadelphia had reached such a height, and become 
 so injurious to the cause- of the colonies, that it was- 
 held in serious consideration to depopulate the whole- 
 country between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, 
 for fifteen miles around the city, by compelling the in- 
 habitants, by force, to remove back, beyond that dis- 
 tance.. A conference was hold on this subject, at the 
 Spring House, on the 23d instant, between Generals 
 Mcintosh and Lacey, and several field-oflicers of th& 
 army. Thej agreed upon the benefit the cause of In- 
 dependence would derive from the measure, and Gen- 
 eral Mcintosh was authorized to lay tlie plan before 
 
LIFE AXD C'HAKACTER OF J(JHX LACET. I C 
 
 General ^^'ashiDgton, on his return to head-quarters. 
 General Lacej'' also addressed him on the same sub- 
 ject, on the 29th, iu which communication appears the 
 following paragraph, sliowing the bad condition of 
 things. 
 
 "Every kind of villainy is carried on by the people 
 near the enemy's lines; and, from their general con- 
 duct, I am induced to believe bnt few real friends to 
 America are left within ten miles of Philadelphia. 
 Those who have appeared the least active, have either 
 been made prisoners by the enemy, or compelled to fly 
 to some other part of the country for safety. I have 
 a number of notorious offenders now confined, who 
 were taken by my parties, going to market." 
 
 When the people in the district to be depopulated 
 heard what was contemplated, they were much alarm- 
 ed, and sent two deputies to General Lacey, whom he 
 designates as "R. Y." and " I\Ir. P.," to lay their 
 protest before him. They protested strongly against 
 the measure, and said teams enough to remove one- 
 third of their effects could not be procured in all that 
 country ; that it was cruel and distressing to send them 
 away from their homes, and, if he would allow them 
 to remain on their farms, they would submit to every 
 insult from the two armies. AVashington, in reply, 
 said "the measure is rather desirable than practica- 
 ble, " and, although he was aware of the good effect it 
 would produce, if it could be carried out, he thought 
 the obstacles too many and too serious to gi\-e his as- 
 sent to the measure proposed. 
 
 In hio various si/onto General Laccv had made sev- 
 
78 LIFE AXIJ CHAllACTEii OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 eral prisoners, principally persons who were carrying 
 marketing to the enemy, and some who had acted as 
 guides to them in their incursions into the country. 
 By direction of the Commander-in-Ohief,many of these 
 were tried by court-martial, some found guilty and 
 sentenced to be executed. One notorious offender, 
 called "J. B ," an inhabitant of Smithtield, Phil- 
 adelphia county, was sentenced to be hanged, but es- 
 caped from the jvrovost guard on the morning of the 
 20th of April, and went over to the enemy. He men- 
 tions two other persons as notorious characters — c ailed 
 
 "J. M' " and "J. W ," both of whom were 
 
 tried. The sentence of many was afterwards remitted, 
 and they were sent to the Lancaster jail, to be placed 
 at hard labor. He convened a court-martial, of which 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Sidman was president, at Nortli 
 Wales, on the 21st of April, to try the officer who suf- 
 fered the said "J. B -" to escape, and after a full 
 
 hearing he was found guilty of the charge, and sen- 
 tenced to be cashiered for such notorious neglect of 
 duty. He was a captain in the Northampton county 
 militia, and was dismissed from the camp, in accord- 
 ance with the finding of the court. This severity wa& 
 deemed advisable, because of late several prisoners had 
 been suffered to escape, and it was thought necessary 
 to make an example of some one who neglected his 
 duty. On the 9th of April he writes to General Wash- 
 ington from Doylestown, and reports a severe skir- 
 mish between some of his troops stationed at Smith- 
 field, and a large party of the British. The enemy 
 came up on the morning of the 8th, with a large force. 
 
UFK AND C'lIAliAfTEU uP JilUX LAC'EY. 79 
 
 and attacked Captain Humphrey's coinmaiid, consist- 
 ing of a small party of continentals, before daylight. 
 They were supposed to be three hundred strong, 
 and took the Americans entirely l)y surprise. Captain 
 Humphrey'' narrowly escaped being captured, as he and 
 some of his men ran out the back as the British enter- 
 ed the front door. He collected a small party hastily, 
 and opened a severs lire upon the enemy, who, after 
 skirmishing awhile, retired with considerable loss. 
 The loss of the Americans was one killed, two wound- 
 ed and one officer taken prisoner. The same morning 
 a party of his scouts fell in with a body of the enemy, 
 on the York road, near Doctor Benneville's, and suf- 
 fered a loss of live killed and two badly wounded. 
 About the same time, the enemy made an incursion up 
 to Bristol and captured Colonel Penrose and some 
 other officers, and returned again to the city without 
 meeting with any opposition. After General Lacey 
 discharged the Northampton county militia, whose 
 time of service had expired, he moved with his 
 whole force toward Philadelphia, on learning that a 
 body of the enemy had filed oflf from the Gerniantown 
 road toward the York road. He marched as far as 
 Edge Hill, when finding the enemy had returned to 
 the city, he moved his little command up the Y'ork 
 road to the Billet, where he encamped. He sent an 
 order for the baggage- wagons he had left at North 
 Wales to join him at the Billet the same night ; but 
 failing to start until the next morning, they were met 
 on their way down by a party of the enemy's horse by 
 which thev sustained a loss of one wagon, and eight 
 
>;0 LIFE AND rlIAi;,U,TER Ul'' /Oli:^ l.AC'ET. 
 
 liorses, besides having several men severely wounded, 
 -and five or six made prisoners. 
 
 The time of two- thirds of his men was now about 
 to expire, and from the smallness of the numbers left 
 him, he found it absolutely necessary to draw in his 
 scouts and to keep his force in one body. Two classes 
 of the militia, from the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, 
 York, and Cumberland, were ordered into the field to 
 supply the place of those whose time of service had 
 expired, but they did not reach camp until the others 
 liad left. From this cause his force had dwindled 
 ■down, on the 27th day of April, to fifty-three men fit 
 for duty; and in reply to General Armstrong, who 
 wrote him on the 21st, making inquiries about his 
 numbers, and other matters of interest connected with 
 the service, he makes the following statement of his 
 forces for some time past. He says : 
 
 "My numbers, after General Potter left me, de- 
 creased every day, until they were reduced to the 
 -amount mentioned in my former letter. On the 24th 
 of February, my returns from York and Cumberland 
 amounted to four hundred and fifty, rank and file, fit 
 for duty; March 4tli, I had two hundred and seventy- 
 eight present, fit for duty, one hundred and twenty- 
 four on command ; March 21st, three hundred and fif- 
 teen present fit for duty, forty-seven on command ; 
 -i\i.arch 26th, one hundred and sixty-two present fit for 
 duty, one hundred and forty-eight on command ; 
 April 6th, one hundred and fifty-eight present fit for 
 dutj^, one hundred and ten on command ; April 19th, 
 two hundred and fifteen present fit for duty, thirty-six 
 
IJFE AND CIIABACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 81 
 
 on command ; April 27th, fifty- three present fit for 
 duty, none on command. 
 
 "This is the true state of my brigade at these 
 difierent times, except a party of horse from Bucks 
 and Philadelphia counties, of between fifteen and 
 twenty, whose times have all expired, and who have 
 left me." 
 
 The numbers seem very small, indeed, for the 
 amount of duty imposed upon them. They had to 
 watch the five main roads leading into the city, with 
 a detachment for head-quarters, and another to guard 
 the stores at Doylestown-; besides frequent scouts had 
 to be sent off in various directions on extra duty. 
 11 
 
S2 LIFE AND CHAEACTEK OF JOHN LACEY, 
 
 CHAPTEK lA' 
 
 S^l T the conclusion of the last chaj^ter, we left Gen- 
 eral Lacey, with the main body of his troops, in 
 camp at the Billet, which place he made his head- 
 quarters. Here he was attacked, on the morning of 
 the first day of ^laj, at daylight, by a large body of 
 the enemj', suffered a considerable loss in killed, 
 wounded and prisoners, and was obliged to retreat 
 some distance up the country. 
 
 The Crooked Billet, as the place was then called, 
 now known by the name of Hatborough, was at that 
 time a small village of about a dozen or fifteen houses, 
 situate on the main road (the York road) leading 
 from Philadelphia to New York, and about sixteen 
 miles from the former city. The American troops 
 were encamped in or near a large wood at the upper 
 end of the village, on the farm of Samuel Irvine, and 
 now owned by the estate of John Beans, deceased. 
 In his front it extended some three or four hundred 
 yards along the York road, and a greater distance 
 to the east, containing about twenty-five acres. In 
 
LIKK AND CHAKACTEIl OF JOHX I.ACKY. bo 
 
 his rear there was an open cultivated country more 
 than half a mile, to the county line, with a small body 
 of timber about midway to that road. General Lacey 
 was quartered in a stone house, about three liundred 
 yards in the rear of his encampment, on the opposite 
 side of the road. It was then owned by a man named 
 Gilbert, but now belongs to John il. Hogeland. 
 There is some difference of opinion as to the house 
 which Laecy was quartered in ; some contending it 
 was that of Asa Comly, some distance higher up 
 the I'oad, and then owned by John Tompkins. But 
 from the most reliable information we have been able 
 to obtain, as well as the situation of the premises, we 
 feel confident he was quartered in the house of Mr. 
 Hogeland. The wood in front of the encampment 
 still shows traces of spoliation by the troops, in order 
 to obtain fuel ; the new growth of trees, in the place of 
 those cut down, being much smaller than in other parts 
 of the wood. He was joined the evening before the 
 attack by a body of militia, without arms, who fared 
 badly the next day. The exact number of the Ameri- 
 cans has never been rightly known, but is supposed 
 not to have exceeded four hundred in all, who were 
 raw militia. General Lacey took the necessary mea- 
 sures to prevent a surprise, and if his orders had 
 been carried out by those whose duty it was, he 
 would not have been found by the enemy unprepared 
 to meet them. The evening before he gave orders 
 for the patiols, under two commissioned officers, of 
 whom Lieutenant Neilson was one, to leave the camp 
 between two and three o'clock the next niorninsr, 
 
84 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 scour the country toward the enemy's lines, and report 
 to him the first intimation of their approach. They 
 did not leave camp, however, until near day light, 
 and when they met the enemy neglected to give the 
 alarm. Under these circumstances the Americans 
 were taken entirely by surprise. 
 
 The commander-in-chief of the British army had, for 
 some time, deemed it of importance to attack and 
 disperse the force of General Lacey, which had, 
 daring the winter and spring, done them much harm, 
 by stopping the communication between the city and 
 country, and preventing people carrying their pro- 
 duce to market. Major Siiucoe, the commander of 
 the " Queen's Rangers," an active refugee corps which 
 had made many incursions into the surrounding coun- 
 try, had it in contemplation to surprise Lacey's camp. 
 He laid his plans before Colonel Balfour, and asked 
 his co-operation. Spies were immediately sent into 
 Lacey's neighborhood, and all his movements closely 
 watched ; every information which they obtained 
 being immediately communicated to these British 
 officers. In a few days after their first interview, 
 Balfour informed Simcoe that General Lacey was 
 to be at the Billet, with his corps, on the first day 
 of May, and furnished him such other information 
 as would be of service to him. Simcoe laid this 
 intelligence before General Howe, who approved his 
 plans and gave him permission to attack the Ameri- 
 cans ; and, from his superior knowledge of the country 
 and the roads, upon him devolved the duty of making 
 the necessary arrangements to insure success. His 
 
LIFE AND CHAnACTEE OF J(JHN LACEY. S-"* 
 
 plan was, to march with tlie Queen's Ranger's, and 
 attack General Lacey on the left and rear, and thus 
 cut off his communication with the upper country; 
 while another body of British troops should ambuscade 
 themselves in a wood, on the road from the Billet 
 to the Horsham meeting-house, wliich runs in the 
 direction of the Valley Forge. It was supposed, 
 if Lacey should be defeated, he would march toward 
 the main army, and that this ambuscade, placed ia 
 the wood for that purpose, would effectually cut off 
 his retreat Simcoe was to begin the attack, and, 
 when the firing of the Rangers should be heard in 
 the rear, another body was to move up in front, thus 
 placing the Americans between two fires ; and, acting 
 in concert, it was supposed they would be able to 
 accomplish their object without much difhculty. In 
 addition to the Queens' Rangers, under Simcoe, there 
 was selected for this enterprise a large detachment 
 of light infantry and cavalry, the whole under the 
 command of Lieut. -Colonel Abercrombie. Spare 
 horses were led, in order to mount the infantry, if 
 necessary for greater expedition. Having made 
 all the preliminary arrangements, the morning of 
 the first day of ilay was fixed upon as the time for 
 attack, and the troops ordered to liold themselves 
 in readiness. 
 
 The British troops left Philadelphia the afternoon 
 before, under the direction of guides who were well 
 acquainted with the country. They marched out 
 the Second Street road, and up the Middle road to 
 the village of Huntingdon, where the force separated. 
 
86 LIFE AND CHABACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 The main body, composed of the light infantry and 
 most of the cavalry, commanded by Abercrombie 
 in person, struck across to the York road, and so 
 on np to Horsham, in order to form the proposed 
 ambuscade, and also attack Lacey in front. Simcoe 
 continued his march up the Jliddle road, occasionally 
 making a detour to avoid such places as Lacey's men 
 might chance to be at, thus prolonging the distance 
 he had to march. He turned to the left into the 
 Byberry road, along which he marched to what is 
 now known as Lloyd's Corner, when he again changed 
 his direction, by turning into the road which runs 
 from the Willow Grove to the county line. At the 
 first cross-roads, where Archibald Banes used to 
 live, he again turned to the left, and came out into 
 the county line a short distance above the eight-square 
 school-house. Just above this point he struck across 
 the fields, on the farm of Isaac Boileau, the nearest 
 way to the Billet. The instructions to Captain Kerr's 
 division, which marched with Major Simcoe, were 
 ■ to seize and barricade Lacey's quarters, and hold them 
 as a rallying point, in case of any discomfiture. They 
 were exceedingly anxious to capture Lacey, and 
 placed spies in the apple-trees around his quarters 
 to watch his movements; but, fortunately, he escaped 
 without being discovered. Simcoe, during the night, 
 fell in with Captain Thomas's company of armed 
 refugees, which he would certainly have mistaken for 
 Americans, and attached them, had he not received 
 information about twilight that they were in the 
 neighborhood. But for tliis knowledge, a serious 
 
LIFE AND CHARACTEXl OF JOHN LACEY. 87 
 
 episode to the British might have happened. Both 
 parties inarched as rapidly as possible, in order to 
 reach their destination while under cover of darkness, 
 and commence the attack at or near the same time. 
 Simcoe m.arched with such caution, that he escaped 
 all Lacey's patrols ; but daylight appeared when he 
 was yet some distance from the American camp. The 
 officer who commanded the party in ambush met one 
 of the patrols within two miles of Lacey's camp, 
 who, when fired upon, fled in a contrary direction. 
 The patrol which left camp about daylight was 
 divided into three parts ; that under Lieutenant Xeil- 
 6on took the right hand road from the Billet, leading 
 to Horsham, and on which the ambush was placed. 
 After proceeding about a mile and a half, they flrst 
 saw the enemy's light-horse, when they took post 
 in a wood to tire upon them when they should come 
 within reach. Soon they saw a party of foot following, 
 when Lieutenant Neilson ordered a soldier, named 
 John Morrow, to return to camp and give the alarm. 
 He did so, and when he arrived there he found the 
 men already paraded behind the camp, and fell into 
 ranks with them; he was too late to save them 
 from surprise. Another scout, which went in a different 
 direction, was commanded by Ensign Laughlin. 
 They marched about two miles without discovering 
 any thing of the enemy ; when they returned 
 and were close to the camp when they iirst heard the 
 firing. Aborcrombie, fearing he should not be in 
 time to support Simcoe, detached tlie cavalry and 
 mounted infantry to the place of ambuscade, in 
 
88 LIFE AND CHAEACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 advance, and with tlie main body marclied up the 
 York road, to attack the Americans in front. From 
 the manner in which Lacey was surrounded, Amber- 
 crombie must have detached a party up the Easton 
 road to turn his right flank and fall upon his rear, 
 in concert with the Queen's Eangers. They propably 
 came into the York road where the county line crosses 
 it, and were the cavalry which attacked him on the 
 left flank, soon after he commenced his retreat. He 
 mentions, in his dispatch to General Armstrong, that 
 one party of the enemy passed the cross-roads in his 
 rear before his scout got there. 
 
 The first intimation General Lacey had of the 
 approach of the enemy was about daylight in the 
 morning, when they were within about two hundred 
 yards of his camp. He was in bed at the time, and 
 had barely time to dress, mount his horse and join his 
 men, before they were within musket-shot of his 
 quarters. He discovered the enemy in front and 
 rear, near the same time, who opened a fire upon 
 him, some being sheltered behind fences and in houses. 
 His situation was a critical one, and as there was no 
 time left for speculation as to the course he should 
 pursue, he was obliged to act upon the emergency 
 of the occasion. Seeing himself almost surrounded, 
 and the enemy's force much superior to his own, he 
 deemed it injudicious to make a stand against them, 
 and therefore ordered a retreat. He moved in 
 columns to the left, in the direction of a wood, with 
 his wagons following in his rear, across open fields and 
 in full view of the enemy, who were in pursuit. He 
 
LIFE AND CIIARACTEE OF JOHN LACET. 89 
 
 relates that when he emerged into tlie open fields, 
 and a large body of the enemy's horse appeared in 
 front, his men gave him an anxious look, as much as 
 to ask him what they should do. He told them to 
 "deliver their fire and push on." After marching a 
 short distance, his flanking parties first began to 
 exchange shots with the enemy, which grew warmer 
 and warmer as they advanced, and soon he was hotly 
 engaged. He moved on. across the fields, in tolerable 
 order, until he reached the wood, where he was 
 obliged to make a sttind, to open his way, for by this 
 time all the parties of the enemy had come up, and 
 now attacked him on all sides. In his report of the 
 action to Washington, he says; "I kept moving 
 on till I made the wood, when a party of both 
 horse and foot came up the Byberry road, and attacked 
 my right fiank — tlie party from the Billet fell upon 
 my rear — the horse from the rear of my camp came 
 upon my left flank, and a body of horse appeared 
 directy in front." The enemy now began to concen- 
 trate all their force upon the wood, and being still 
 much exposed, and having sufiered considerable loss. 
 General Lacey thought it would be safer to move on, 
 which he did with the loss of all his baggage, which 
 Ml into the enemy's hands. It was Simcoe with 
 his rangers and cavalry who appeared on Lacey's 
 right ^flank and front, about the time he reached the 
 wood. When he had quitted the main road and 
 struck across the fields, to march directly to the Billet, 
 and was informing the officers of the plan of attack, 
 he heard firing in the direction of Abercombie's detach- 
 12 
 
90 LIFE AND CHAKACTEE OF JOHN LACEY, 
 
 meat, and exclaimed, " The dragoons have discovered 
 us," and marched forward at a rapid pace to join 
 in the action. He came upon the riglit flank of the 
 retreating Americans, as it has been ah-eady men- 
 tioned, in his march intercepting small parties of 
 the flying militiamen, who were mostly killed. While 
 he pushed on for the main body of the Americans, 
 he dispatched thirty dragoons to intercept the baggage 
 of General Lacey, which they succeeded in doing, 
 as it was crossing the fields. As the Americans were 
 marching through the wood Major Simcoe endeavored, 
 by a ruse de guerre, to induce them to lay down their 
 arms. He rode up within hailing distance, and com- 
 manded them to surrender. As they did not stop, 
 he next gave the commands, in a loud tone, " make 
 ready" — " present" — " fire" — hoping to deceive tliem 
 into the belief that he had a large body of troops with 
 him. In this he was disappointed ; they moved on as 
 before, aud paid no other attention to him than to bow 
 their heads at the word — "fire." They continued to 
 retreat, skirmishing as they marched, for nearly two 
 miles, the British hanging upon their flanks and rear-, 
 and now and then a man falling — killed or wounded. 
 They passed across the farm of Thomas Craven, now 
 owned by !Mr. Finnej^ thence through what is now 
 the village of Johnsville, in WarminS'ter township, 
 Bucks county, and so on nearly to Hart's Corner, 
 on the Bristol road, where they suddenly turned to 
 the left into a wood, and thus escaped the pursuit. 
 Thence they struck across the country to the York 
 rord, which they came into just below the Cross Roads, 
 
LIFE AXD CHARACTER OF JOliX LACEY. 91 
 
 now Hartsville, and moved down toward the Billet, 
 hoping to find the enemy, in the hour of victory, off' 
 their guard, and thus be able to gain some advantage 
 over them. They, however, found upon their ar- 
 rival at the scene of action that the enemy had retired, 
 carrying with them most of their killed and wounded. 
 The British followed the retreating Americans until 
 they made the sudden turn to the left, when they 
 gave up the pursuit and returned to the field to 
 gather up the spoils and prepare to return to the city. 
 The enemy behaved in the most cruel and inhuman 
 manner to our wounded men, whom they found 
 lying on the field, many of whom they mangled 
 shockingly and burnt in buckwheat straw. The latter 
 circumstance, for the sake of humanity and the credit 
 of the English name, we would fain disbelieve, but 
 there is such undoubted evidence to sustain it, that we 
 are fully convinced of its truth. On the farm of 
 Thomas Craven, in a field near the county line, was a 
 large heap of buckwheat straw. Garret Kroeson, 
 deceased, who then lived in the neighborhood, says a 
 skirmishing party of Americans, much fatigued, ci'ept 
 into this straw about sunrise in the morning, when a 
 Tory who knew th&ir secret resting place, informed the 
 British. They set fire to the straw while the Ameri- 
 cans were asleep, burnt some to death on the spot, 
 and others were so badly burned they died in a short 
 time. They also set fire to the wounded, many ot 
 whom had dragged themselves to the straw for shelter, 
 while they were yet alive, and caused them to expire 
 in the most excrutiating agony. We have abundant 
 
92 LIFE AND CHAEAGTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 proof of this. General Lacey, in his letter to General 
 Armstrong, of the date of the 7th of May, speaks of 
 this circumstance in the following manner : " Many 
 of the nnfortnnate who fell into the merciless hands ot 
 the British, were more cruelly and inhumanly butchered. 
 Some were set on fire with buckwheat straw, and 
 others had their clothes burnt on their backs. Some 
 of the surviving sufferers say they saw the enemy set 
 fire to the wounded while yet alive, who struggled to 
 put it out but were too weak, and expired under this 
 torture. I saw those lying in the buckwheat straw — ■ 
 they made a most melancholy appearance. Others I 
 saw, who, after being wounded with a ball, had received 
 near a dozen wounds with cutlasses and bayonets. I 
 can find as many witnesses to the proof of these 
 cruelties as there were people on the spot, and that 
 was no small number who came as spectators." The 
 loss of the Americans was twenty-six killed, and eight 
 or ten wounded, most of whom fell while marching 
 across the open fields ; several prisoners were taken, 
 but it is not known how many. The loss of the 
 British could never be ascertained, as they carried 
 the killed and wounded with them to the city — it 
 must, however have been considerable. One field 
 oflBcer is supposed to have fallen, and another oflicer 
 was severely wounded in the knee, near the house 
 of Thomas Craven, into which he was carried. Major 
 Simcoe admits that some of his rangers were wounded, 
 as was also the horse of his orderly hussar. He like- 
 wise mentions that the shoe-buckles of one Captain 
 ^IcGill probably saved the life of that oiHcer. General 
 
LIFE AND CHAEACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 93 
 
 Lacey states that he captured two of their horses, and 
 that five were left dead on the field. Of the Americans, 
 two oflicers of the patrols were killed and also a Captain 
 Downey, who was horribly mangled, and whose 
 obituary notice we insert. The baggage captured 
 from the Americans, was taken to Philadelphia and 
 sold, and the proceeds divided among the men of 
 the expedition. It yielded one dollar to each man. 
 
 The following obituary notice of Captain Downey 
 appeared in the Pennsylvania Packet, in May, 1778 : 
 
 " Plumstead, Bucks County, May 4th, 1778. 
 "Among the slain near the Crooked Billet, on Friday 
 the first instant, fell the gallant Captain Jno. Downey, 
 late school master in Philadelphia, whose worth entitles 
 him to a place in the annals of America. He took an 
 active and early part in our struggle for liberty. He 
 went as a volunteer to Jersey last winter was a year, 
 where he behaved gallantly in the battles of Trenton 
 and Princeton. He being chosen captain of a 
 company of Philadelphia militia, served his tour 
 of duty, two months, last summer, at Billingsport, 
 when, on account of his superior knowledge of mathe- 
 matics, the Executive Council employed him to make 
 a military survey of the river Delaware, which he 
 performed with great exactness. Since which time he 
 has performed many very important services to his 
 country, a love to which prompted him to attempt 
 any thing which promised its welfare. He lately 
 acted as an assistant commissary, and in this capacity 
 was with our brave militia when attacked last Friday. 
 From his known readiness to fight and bleed for 
 his country, it is more than probable when the attack 
 began he made the attempt to join his countrymen when 
 he was shot through the shoulder, and that he lay in 
 
94 LIFE AND CHAEACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 his blood until the enemy returned, when they 
 dispatched him in a cruel manner, for his body 
 was found with one of his hands almost cut off, his 
 head slashed in several places, his skull cut through, 
 his brains coming out at his nose and scattered all 
 around. He was an enlightened patriot, an affection- 
 ate friend, a gallant soldier, a fond husband and 
 an indulgent parent. He had no inheritance to 
 leave, as his little property was left in Philadelphia ; 
 but he has left a sorrowful widow, and five helpless 
 children, in very indigent circumstances. They are 
 worthy the notice of the charitable." 
 
 The dead were collected and buried in one grave, 
 near where they fell, in a field along the county hne, 
 and a short distance above Craven's Corner. The 
 wounded were carried to the house of Thomas Craven, 
 near by, where they were well taken care of, 
 and remained until they recovered, or were able 
 to be removed to their own homes. After General 
 Lacey had paid the last sad rites of humanity 
 to the dead, and had his wounded made comfortable, 
 he took up the line of march for the Cross-Roads, 
 now Hartsville, where he encamped on the nortli 
 bank of Neshaminy creek, which he considered 
 a very safe position, and of easy defense. 
 
 When the British returned from the pursuit, they 
 rode up to several houses in the village and asked 
 for bread and cheese, but did not tarry a long time, 
 from fear that the Americans might rally and attack 
 them. They plundered some of the houses, and 
 spread great consternation among the inhabitants. 
 A small party of them went to the liouse of David 
 
LIFE AKD CHARACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 95 
 
 Marple, a very aged man, and grandfather of Col- 
 David Marple, of Warminster township, Bucks county, 
 and ordered him and his family to catch the chickens 
 for them and have them cooked. He told them he 
 was unable to do it, when they excused him, and 
 ordered his sons and daughters to catch them, which 
 they were obhged to do. They even compelled them 
 to take the setting hens from their nests. 
 
 The last British soldier was killed in a wood a short 
 distance above what was then known as Hart's Corner, 
 on the east side of the Bristol road. He was chasing 
 an American named Vandyke, and had come within a 
 few yards of him, while running through the wood. 
 He snapped one pistol at him, which missed fire. 
 Vandyke, in his alarm, seems not to have recollected 
 that he carried a loaded musket on his shoulder, but 
 was retreating as rapidly as possible, with a fair pros- 
 pect of having his brains blown out by his pursuer. 
 When the dragoon was about drawing his second 
 pistol, it accurred to the American that his gun was 
 loaded, and might in this critical posture of affairs do 
 him some service, Thereupon, without any delay, he 
 took deliberate aim at the Englishman and shot him 
 dead ; then mounted his horse and rode away to join 
 the main body of Americans. This incident used to be 
 related by Captain Baird, now deceased, who was an 
 officer in the action, and we think an eyewitness to 
 the affair. 
 
 At this period, there lived in the neighborhood of 
 the Billet two men named Van Buskirk, both of whom 
 bore the title of Captain ; one was noted for being a 
 
96 LIFE AND CHARACTER OP JOHN LACEY, 
 
 staunch Whig, and the other was quite as violent a Tory. 
 The British knew only of the Whig, and had long been 
 anxious to capture him, as he had made himself very 
 obnoxious by his activity in the cause of the colonies. 
 While they were burning the buckwheat straw, many 
 of the neighbors collected there, to see what was going 
 on, and among the number was the Tory Captain Van 
 Buskirk. He was known to those present, and some 
 one of them called him by name. A British officer 
 hearing this, immediately asked him if he was Captain 
 Van Buskirk. He replied that he was, no doubt 
 feeling pleassd that he was thus noticed, and looked for 
 some compliinent for his services to King George. Alas ! 
 the poor man was most sadly mistaken, for he was 
 immediately arrested and placed in irons, being 
 mistaken for the other captain of the Same name. He 
 asserted his innocence again and again, and assured 
 them he was the wrong person, and not the Whig Van 
 Buskirk, whom they wanted. But his protestations 
 had no other effect than to raise a laugh at his expense ; 
 they coiild not be caught in any such trap as that, in 
 order to allow an arch-rebel to escape, and therefore 
 they held on to him. His neighbors smiled but said 
 nothing in his behalf^ — thinking the joke was entirely 
 too good an one to be rectified. They hurried him off 
 to Philadelphia with them, where they kept him in jail 
 for some time, and treated him very badly. At last 
 some persons in the city, who knew him, interested 
 themselves in his behalf, and convinced his captors he 
 was the wrong person, and not the one they wanted. 
 Upon this they set him at liberty, and made many 
 
WFE AND CHARACTEE OP JOHN LACEY. 97 
 
 apologies for the injury they had done hitn. But it did 
 not cure the wound. He returned home, and ever 
 after was as stanch a Whig as his namesake. The 
 medicine had worked a radical cure. 
 
 Soon after the British had turned into the cross- 
 road at Lloyd's Corner, they stopped at a farm house — 
 lately owned by Captain Kelley of the navy — and roused 
 up the inmates, to procure a guide to show them the 
 nearest way to the BiUet ; they were behind their time, 
 and were in great haste. A young man, Hving with the 
 family, put his head out the window and demanded 
 their business. They told him he must show them the 
 road to the Billet, and ordered him to dress and come 
 down immediately. He refused to go, until they 
 threatened to shoot him if he did not comply with 
 their demand. He told them if he should go, and the 
 Americans caught him, they would certainly kill him, 
 and that he could only show them the way on condition 
 that they would furnish him with a fast horse, to 
 enable him to escape if his countrymen should attempt 
 to capture him. This they agreed to, and mounted 
 him on a fleet animal and placed him at the head of 
 the columin. He soon found the horse he rode was a 
 very fast one, and watching his opportunity, when he 
 was a short distance in advance, put whip to him and 
 made his escape. They fii-ed their pistols at him, 
 which only increased his speed, but they did not dare 
 pursue him, for fear of falling into an ambush of the 
 Americans ; he therefore got off without any difSculty. 
 This was related to the writer by the late Judge Watts 
 of Bucks county, wlio saw the man, about dayhght, 
 13 
 
98 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY, 
 
 riding along the road which rtins from the county 
 line to the Bristol road at the top of his speed. He 
 was without hat or coat ; and my informant did not 
 know what was the matter then, but learned the cause 
 of it in a few days. When Judge Watts saw him he 
 was passing through what is now the village of Davis- 
 ville. An officer of Simcoe's column left his horse at 
 the house of Isaac Boileau, a short distance above the 
 eight-square schoolhoUse, on the county line, in 
 charge of a negro slave named Moore, and threatened 
 terrible things against him if he should let any of the 
 " Hebels" take him before his return. In a short time 
 a retreating American, hard pressed, came that way, 
 and demanded the horse ; the negro refused to give 
 him up until the soldier made some demonstration of 
 enforcing liis modest request, when he surrendered 
 him. The American mounted him and rode away 
 across the fields. Not long afterward the English 
 returned, and the officer came to inquire for his horse, 
 which he saw was gone. The poor black was much 
 alarmed, and as well as he could told him the Ameri- 
 can had forced him to give the horse to him. The 
 Englishman was in a terrible rage when he learned 
 what had taken place, and immediately put the negro 
 under arreS't, and carried him along with the troops ; 
 but he was released after traveling a few miles, and 
 returned home in safety. This was related to the 
 WTiter by an eyewitness to the transaction. 
 
 The last American killed was at Hart's Corner. In 
 company with another man, named Cooper, he had 
 retreated along tlie road which i-uns from Johnsville to 
 
LIFE AND CHAEACTEK OF JOHN LACEY. 9^ 
 
 the Bristol road. The main body was in adTance of 
 them, and they were sitting side by side on the fence at 
 the end of the road, resting themselves before going 
 into the wood, when two British dragoons, unobserved 
 by them, raised the hill at the house in which General 
 White used to live, and approached within range of 
 their carbines. One of them fired his piece at them, 
 the ball from which struck Cooper's companion, who 
 fell off the fence, dead. Cooper jumped over into the 
 wood, and escaped. The blood remained on the fence 
 for many years. 
 
 Isaac Tompkins relates that he was a small boy at the 
 time of the battle, but remembers the day very distinctly. 
 He then lived with his father, ia the building in which 
 Mr. Fretz now keeps store in Hatborough. He had 
 just got up, about sunrise in the morning, when his 
 sister, who had been sent into the garden to plant 
 cucumbers, came running into the house shouting "the 
 British are coming," when they looked out and saw a 
 large body of red-coated dragoons marching up the 
 road. These were part of Abercrombie's command, 
 who made the attack in front. 
 
 The late Jonathan Delany used to mention a 
 circumstance he witnessed. He was living at the time 
 in Frankford, through which one detachment of the 
 British troops passed on their retm-n to the city. Among 
 the prisoners was an old man, who wore on his shoes a 
 pair of large silver buckles. They attracted the atten- 
 tion of a soldier, who, as they were marching through 
 the street, left the ranks, and stooped down to tear 
 them off. The old man, who was not disposed to be 
 
100 LIFE AND fcHARACTEE OP'JOHN LACEY. 
 
 robbed of his property, struck tlie thief on the head 
 with his fist, and knocked him over on to the ground. 
 The other soldiers who witnessed the act gave a loud 
 shout in approval of the prisoner's courage. 
 
 Nathan Marple, father of Col. Marple, was then a 
 lad of about sixteen years of age, and lived with his 
 father in the Billet. He heard the firing early in the 
 morning, and supposing Lacey's men were getting 
 ready to drill, started across the field to go to them. 
 He had not got far, however, when he saw the British 
 dragoons riding across the fields toward the camp; 
 they had cloaks on, and he conld not see their red- 
 coats. He took warning at what he saw, and returned 
 home. He further relates, that he saw an officer ride 
 some distance in front of his men, halt, rise up in his 
 stirrups, and look all aroimd as if he were recounoiter- 
 ing. He immediately heard the report of a gun, and 
 saw the officer fall to the ground. The horse, instead 
 of running away as might be supposed at the loss of 
 his rider, wheeled around and cantered back to his 
 company. 
 
 Mr. Safety Maghee, of Northampton township, 
 Bucks county, a gentleman who died a few years ago 
 nearly ninety-six years of age, gave us the following 
 as his recollection of the action at the Crooked Billet. 
 He says : — 
 
 " In 1778 I was living with my uncle, Thomas 
 Folwell, in Southampton township, in the house where 
 Horatio G. Yerkes now lives. On the morning of 
 the battle of the Billet, now Hatborough, I heard the 
 firing very distinctly, and a black man named Harry 
 
Lif'E AND CHAEACTEE OF' JOHN LACEY. 101 
 
 and myself concluded we wonld go and see what was 
 going on. I was then about thirteen years old. We 
 started from the house and went directly toward where 
 the firing was. When we came near where Johns- 
 Adlle now stands, we heard a heavy volley there, which 
 brought us to a halt. The firing was in the woods. 
 The British were in pursuit of our militia and chased 
 them along the road that leads from Johnsville to the 
 Bristol road, and also through the fields from the 
 Street road to the Bristol road. They overtook the 
 mihtia in the woods at the corner of the Street road 
 and the one that leads across to the Bristol road. 
 When the firing had ceased, we continued on and 
 found three wounded militia-men near the wood ; 
 they appeared to have been wounded by the sword, 
 and were much cut and hacked. When we got to 
 them they were groaning heavily. They died in a 
 little while, and I understood they were buried on the 
 spot. They appeared to be Germans. We then 
 passed on, and in a field near by we saw two horses 
 lying dead — they were British. One of them was shot 
 in the head, and the gnn had been put so near that the 
 hair was scorched. While we were on the field, 
 Harry picked up a cartouch box that had been dropped 
 or torn ofl' the wearer. Shortly after, we met some of 
 the militia returning, and when they saw the black 
 fellow with the cartouch box, they became very much 
 enraged, and accused him of robbing the dead and 
 took it away from him. These dead horses were on 
 the farm of Ool. Joseph Hart. Soon after this we 
 returned home. The last man was killed on the 
 
102 LIFE AND CHARACTEE OF JOHN LACKS'. 
 
 Bristol road, at the end of the road that comes across 
 from Johnsville. A British officer who was wounded 
 in the battle was taken to the house of Samuel Irvin 
 who lived near by. His wounds were dressed there, 
 and he afterward returned with the troops to Philar 
 delphia. This affair created a good deal of excitement 
 in the neighborhood." 
 
 The news of the battle spread far and near over the 
 country in a few hours, and many of the inhabitants 
 were so much alarmed they hardly dared venture 
 from home that day, until they were assured the British 
 had returned to Philadelphia. A day or two before, a 
 child of Samuel Flack, who lived in Doylestown, and 
 kept tavern where Corson's hotel now stands, had died, 
 and was to be buried that day at Neshaminy. The 
 people in the neighborhood were so much afraid that 
 only four persons would venture with the corps to the 
 place of burial — two .young men and two young 
 women, one of whom was a Miss Mary Doyle, after- 
 ward a Mrs. Mitchell, and mother of Mrs. Nathaniel 
 Cornell, of Doylestown. They were all mounted on 
 horseback, the men being armed, and carrying the 
 coffin ; and they obtained the fastest horses they could, 
 so they might escape from the enemy if they should be 
 pm-sued. When they reached the burying ground, 
 the two young men dismounted and buried the body, 
 while the young women remained on horseback, to be 
 ready to fly at the first alarm; after this duty was 
 performed they remounted and hurried home as rapidly 
 as possible. They could see the smoke from the 
 burning buckwheat-strav/ as they rode along. 
 
LIFE AND CHARACTER Of JOHN LACEY. 103 
 
 Many have blamed General Lacey for the affair at 
 the Billet ; and those who were hostile to the cause of 
 the colonies endeavored to injure his reputation, by 
 making him responsible for the loss he sustained. 
 This attempt, hovrever, failed, and his conduct received 
 the approbation of his superiors. His situation was 
 truly a critical one, and nothing but the coolest judg- 
 ment, and most determined bravery of himself and 
 men, saved them from an entire defeat, and the cap- 
 ture of his whole force. Throughoiit the whole 
 affair he shows himself to have been a man of more 
 than ordinary capacity for command, and justly 
 covered himself with fresh laurels. In no wise is he 
 answerable for the sudden surprise. The place he 
 selected for his camp was an eligible one, and of 
 some natural defense ; and he took every precaution 
 the evening before to obtain the earliest information 
 of the approach of the enemy. The officers to whom 
 he had intrusted the duty of patroling the roads 
 leading to his camp disobeyed his orders, and instead 
 of being out upon duty "were in camp ; and afterward, 
 when they did discover the enemy in time to alarm the 
 camp, they neglected to do so, and hence the surprise 
 was complete. The most vigilant officers are liable 
 thus to be deceived by their subalterns, and it would 
 be unjust indeed to blame the commander for such 
 inattention to duty on the part of his subordinates. 
 From this cause General Wayne was surprised at the 
 Paoli, the night after the battle of Brandywine ; and 
 many other distinguished commanders have suffered 
 severe losses in the same manner. The only good 
 
104 LIFE AND CHAEACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 rule by whicli to judge military officers is by what 
 they accomplish ; and applying this standard to 
 General Lacey his actions will bear the closest scrutiny. 
 His camp of four hundred men was surprised and 
 surrounded, at daylight, by a force of more than three 
 times as many British troops— he had raw militia — the 
 enemy were veterans, inured to war. In spite of this 
 disparity of force and circumstances, he formed his 
 little Spartan band into columns, and cut his way 
 through the enemy, with the small loss of only about 
 thirty-five men killed and wounded. He had to 
 march a considerable distance across on open country, 
 and fought every foot of the way, being pressed at the 
 same time in front and rear, and on both fianks. We 
 are astonished he was able to extricate himself at all 
 from his perilous situation ; and it seems quite like a 
 miracle he did not fall into the enemy's hands with, 
 his whole force. So highly was his conduct ap- 
 preciated by the Executive Council, that Timothy 
 Matlack, Esq., the Secretary, wrote him on the 16th of 
 May to the following effect : " Your conduct is highly, 
 approved ; and your men have justly acquired great 
 reputation by their bravery." This commendation, 
 had some meaning ; and, in addition, all the well 
 wishers of the cause of hberty applauded the conduct 
 of himself and men. The enemy also tacitly acknowl- 
 edged his superior skill and courage, for Lieut. Col. 
 Simcoe, in his account of the expedition, says they 
 failed in the object they had in view, which was to 
 capture General Lacey and his whole force. Hence, 
 the British, in reality, suffered a defeat, although they 
 
LIFE AND CHAEACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 105 
 
 remained masters of the field. With this evidence 
 before them, who will deny to General Lacey great 
 honor as a brave and skilltul officer ? 
 
 As soon as General Lacey was fixed in his new 
 camp at the Neshaminy, he ordered a general court- 
 martial to try the officers of his sconts for disobedience 
 of orders and neglect of duty on the morning of the 
 sui-prise and attack at the Billet. It convened at 
 camp, May the 4th, 1778, and was composed of twelve 
 officers ; Colonel Smith was president, and William 
 Findley, afterward a distinguished politician and 
 governor of the State, was the judge-advocate. The 
 two officers tried, wore Lieutenant Neilson and Ensign 
 Laughlin : the former was found guilty of the charge 
 laid against him, and sentenced to be cashered, which 
 was carried into effect ; the latter was acquitted and 
 ordered to his regiment for duty. Besides these two 
 officers several persons were tried before the same 
 oourt-martial, for various offenses — some being soldiers, 
 and others citizens who were charged with holding 
 intercourse with the enemy. Several were found 
 guilty, some of whom were sentenced to be whipped, 
 and others to be confined in the jail at Lancaster. 
 
 General Lacey continued his camp at the Neshaminy, 
 near the Cross-Eoads, until he was relieved from the 
 command. General Washington writes him from the 
 VaUey Forge, on the 11th day of May, announcing to 
 him the return of General Potter from the westward, 
 who was appointed to supercede him in the command 
 of the Pennsylvania militia, and requests that he will 
 remain with him a few days, to give him some knowl- 
 14 
 
106 LIFE AND CHAEACTER OP JOHN LACET, 
 
 edge of the roads and make him acquainted with those 
 on whom he could rely as guides, for intelhgence, etc. 
 Lacey, as he was desired by the commander-in-chief, 
 remained a few days in camp, with General Potter, 
 to give him the necessaiy information to enable him to 
 operate with effect in the surrounding country, Gen- 
 Potter shortly afterward marched with the militia nearer 
 to Pliiladelphia, and left Col. Watts, from Cumberland, 
 in command of the troops in Bucks county. Lacey left 
 camp the 6th of June, after returning thanks to the 
 troops that had been under his command for their good 
 conduct, and retired to his home in Buckingham. 
 Although he had now no command according to his 
 rank, he was as active as ever in the cause of his 
 country. He continued to discharge the important 
 duties of sub-lieutenant of the county of Bucks, and 
 exerted himself to keep up an efl&cient organization of 
 the militia, and also to rouse up his fellow-citizens to 
 sustain the cause of their country against the common 
 enemy. 
 
 In the spring of 1778, the British government began 
 to fear for the safety of the royal army quartered in 
 Philadelphia, and therefore ordered the Enghsh com- 
 mander to evacuate that city and retire to New York. 
 They crossed the Delaware into New Jersey, the 18th 
 day of June, and took up the line of march for Amboy. 
 Washington, from his winter-quarters at the Valley 
 Forge, closely watched the movements of the enemy, 
 and, as soon as they made preparations to pass the 
 Delaware, put his army ia march to intercept them as 
 they crossed the Jerseys. The more effectually to 
 
LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 107 
 
 harass the retreating British, Washington called out a 
 large body of the militia of Pennsylvania and New 
 Jersey, to hang upon their rear ; and requested Colonel 
 Kirkbride, the lieutenant of Bucks, to have those from 
 that county ready for this duty. For this purpose 
 General Lacey addressed a circular to each one of the 
 colonels of his brigade, urging them to assemble their 
 regiments as soon as possible, and march in pursuit of 
 the enemy. He met them at Doylestown, the place of 
 rendezvous, and did all in his power to hasten their 
 departure for the scene of action ; but we have not 
 been able to obtain any information as to the service 
 he or his brigade performed at this trjdng period in 
 our revolutionary struggle. In the summer of '78, 
 whUe he was engaged in the arduous military duties 
 that devolved upon him, he received a civil appoint- 
 ment of responsibility from the Executive Council. It 
 was that of one of tlie commissioners for the county 
 of Bucks, on confiscated estates ; who were required 
 by law to seize and dispose of the " personal estate and 
 effects of those who had abandoned their familes or 
 habitations and joined the army of the king of Great 
 Britain." He continued to discharge the duties of this 
 appointment until the fall, when he was elected a 
 member of the Assembly. He took his seat in Novem- 
 ber, and made an active and useful member of the 
 Legislature. During this time he applied himself 
 closely to his studies, thus endeavoring to make up the 
 deficiency of his youth ; but he allowed nothing to 
 interfere with his oflicial duties, and it was only during 
 his leisure moments that he pursued his studies. 
 
108 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEl'. 
 
 About this period a fierce party warfare arose in the 
 State in regard to a change in the Constitution of 1776, 
 which had many bitter opponents at the time of its 
 adoption. The parties at this day were divided on 
 this question ; and so bitter were many of the op- 
 ponents of the Constitution, that they even refused to 
 accept office under it. This was the case with 
 General Cadwallader, who refused the commission 
 of brigadier-general in the Pennsylvania mihtia. He 
 thought the Constitution was not liberal enough in its 
 provisions, and hence opposed its adoption ; which 
 opposition was continued until they succeeded in 
 having a new one formed, in 1790. The people of 
 Bucks county were opposed to any change, and 
 appear to have had a good deal of feeling on the 
 subject. Soon after General Lacey took his seat as a 
 member of the Assembly, he was written to by one 
 George Wall, of Solebmy, who says, among other 
 things, that he is well informed, "if any member 
 (meaning those from Bucks) attempts such a measure, 
 he will incur the displeasures of all truelndependenters, 
 to such a degree that he will be in danger of being 
 tarred and feathered, or plunged into the Delaware." 
 A remonstrance, numerously signed, was forwarded to 
 General Lacey, against any change in the Constitution ; 
 but what course he took, we do not know positively, 
 though it may be presumed he opposed the measure, 
 as such was the sense of the people whom he repre- 
 sented. 
 
 He appears to have returned home to Buckingham 
 the latter part of December, and remained there until 
 
LIFE AND CHAEACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 109 
 
 the beginning of February, -when he again went to 
 Pliiladelphia, to attend to his oificial duties. While at 
 home he had an opportunity to do further service to 
 his country, in counteracting the efforts of several 
 Tories to defraud the government. The year before 
 ('78) Washington found it necessary, iu order to 
 mount his cavalry for the coming campaign, and also 
 to supply the artillery and baggage-wagons, to order 
 the inhabitants to bring in their horses on certain 
 days, and at places named, to have them appraised and 
 turned over to the quarter-master, who was to give a 
 receipt and certificate for them, and which were to be 
 paid for at some future time. At the close of the 
 year Captain M'Calla was ordered to pay for the 
 horses taken in this manner for the use of the Con- 
 tinental army. JIany persons, whose horses had been 
 taken from them going to or returning from Philadel- 
 phia, while the British were there, and which were 
 confiscated by the express order of General Washing- 
 ton, took advantage of the ignorance of those who 
 were to pay of the circumstances under which they 
 were taken, and presented their claims. Their 
 animals were appraised by some of then- Tory neigh- 
 bors, and papers made out to suit the case, and in 
 most instances they were valued at two or three times 
 their worth. This system of contemplated fraud upon 
 the government came to the knowledge of General 
 Lacey, who exposed the matter, and prevented it 
 being carried out. Most, if not all, the horses which 
 had been confiscated were captured by the order of 
 Lacey, and therefore he knew to whom they had 
 
110 LIFE AND CHAEACTER OP JOHN LACET. 
 
 belonged, and how far the owners were guilty of 
 holding intercourse with the enemy. As soon as he 
 learned what was on foot, he wrote a full account of 
 the matter to the proper officers, and thus put them on 
 their guard. His timely warning saved the country 
 Several thousand dollars, which would have gone into 
 the pockets of some' of the rankest Tories in the 
 county, as a premium for their treason. 
 
 During the year 1779, General Lacey was chosen a 
 member of the Executive Council of the State, then the 
 highest executive authority, and continued as such for 
 that and the two following years. He immediately 
 took his seat in that body, and there, as weU as in 
 every other public station that he filled, was active and 
 useful. He was almost constantly in Philadelphia, 
 attending the sessions of the council, until August of 
 the following year, when he was again called to 
 dischai-ge more active duties in the field. The spring 
 and summer of '80 were a dark and trying period for 
 America. The enemy had almost overrun the South, 
 and brought nearly the whole country under subjection. 
 Charleston fell on the 12th of May ; and the defeat of 
 General Gates, at Camden, on the 15th of August 
 following, completed the triumph of the British. In 
 the North things also wore a discouraging appearance, 
 and Washington was beset with pressing difficulties on 
 every side. The army was much reduced in strength 
 by the expiration of the time of a large number of the 
 men, who had only been enlisted for a short period. 
 When their time was up they invariably went home, 
 and no inducement could prevail upon them to remain; 
 
LIFE AND CHAEACTEE OP JOHN LACET. Ill 
 
 and the evils of short enlistments were now more fully 
 experience than ever. In addition to this, the military 
 chest was empty, and the army in want of provisions, 
 which could not beprocured without being taken from 
 the inhabitants by force. The depreciation of the 
 paper money of Congress had so much reduced the 
 credit of the government, that persons were not 
 willing even to make contracts for the supply of the 
 army ; and, at this time, the troops were in actual 
 want. At length the discontent broke out into open 
 mutiny, and several regiments paraded with their arms, 
 with the intention of marching home, but were finally 
 prevailed upon to remain. The EngUsh commander 
 made every eifort to induce the discontented to join 
 his standard, but without effect ; although their 
 sufferings were great, they had not become so lost to 
 every sense of du.ty as to be guilty of rank treason. 
 During this period of great trial the State authorities 
 of Pennsylvania made unusual efforts to relieve the 
 sufferings of the army. The Legislatiu-e voted hberal 
 appropriations of money to sustain the credit of 
 Congress, and purchased provisions and took aU other 
 necessary steps to heal up the difiiculties. They 
 adjourned from the first of June to the first of Septem- 
 ber, but before doing so invested the Executive Council 
 with discretionary powers during the recess, even to 
 the extent of declaring martial law throughout the 
 State, if thought necessary. From this it seems extra- 
 ordinary exertions were required to sustain the cause 
 of the colonies. General Lacey was, during this trying 
 period, an active member of the Council, and in his 
 
112 LIFE AND CHARACTEE OP JOHN LACEY. 
 
 correspondence speaks of the many and serious difficul- 
 ties they had to contend with, and of the great exer- 
 tions they made to meet them. All his letters, both 
 private and public, breathe the loftiest spirit of patriot- 
 ism, and exliibit a love of country that no adversity 
 could shake. 
 
 During these serious difficidties in the • army, Wash- 
 ington believing the enemy intended to strike another 
 blow at Pennsylvania, immediately ordered out the 
 militia of the State for its defense. When the or- 
 der came from General Washington to call out the 
 militia. General Lacey was in Philadelphia attending 
 the Council. He was immediately dispatched into the 
 counties of Bucks and Berks to assemble the troops, 
 being clothed with full powers for this purpose by the 
 following letter from President Eeed : 
 
 "Philadelphia, August 1st, 1780. 
 
 " Dear Sir : — You will please to proceed with all de- 
 spatch to Bucks county, to forward the troops demanded 
 by General Washington from that county. In the 
 equipments you will issue such orders of impress for 
 wagons, horses, blankets, arms and accoutrements, as 
 you shall judge necessary at this important crisis, and 
 to which all otScers, civil and military, will yield due 
 obedience, as they will answer the contrary at their 
 peril. You will then proceed to Berks county for the 
 same purpose, and with the like powers. After seeing 
 the men in proper forwardness, you will then return to 
 tliis city for further consultation on the measures neces- 
 sary for the troops, and in the meantime you wiU give 
 such directions to Colonel Farmer, the commissary of 
 
LIFE AND OHARACTKE OF JOHN LACEY. 118 
 
 the State, and to the deputy quartermaster, with re- 
 spect to your stores and the transportation of your 
 baggage, as yen judge necessary and suitable to your 
 rank. 
 
 " I am, sir, your obedient, 
 
 " and very humble servant, 
 
 (Signed) " Jos. Reed, President. 
 
 " The Hon. General Lacet." 
 
 Pursuant to the above order from President Reed, 
 General Lacey proceeded into Bucks and Berks to 
 assemble the mihtia, and used every necessary exertion 
 to have them in the field early. The Council also 
 clothed him with authority to impress horses for the 
 main army, of which Washington stood in great need. 
 After making all suitable arrangements for the calling 
 out and marching of the militia to the place of ren- 
 dezvous, he proceeded to Trenton, New Jersey, in 
 order to assume the command. He arrived there about 
 the 1 3th of the month, and selected a healthy spot for 
 the encampment, where they were to be drilled and 
 disciplined before joining the continental army under 
 Washington. The troops came in slowly, and by the 
 16th not more than three hundred had assembled, 
 many of whom were without arms and blankets. No 
 provision had been made for their support, and, in 
 consequence thereof, there was much dissatisfaction 
 among them ; and it was with much difficulty enough 
 provisions could be procured at first to last them from 
 day to day. In a few days a commissariat was estab- 
 lished, when they were regularly furnished with good 
 rations. President Reed, the commander-in-chief of 
 
 15 
 
114 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF .T(1HN LACEY, 
 
 the militia of Pennsylvania, anived in camp on tlie 
 evening of the 16th, and assumed the command the 
 next day. The troops continued to arrive from time 
 to time, by squads and companies, and by the 19th, as 
 is shown by the field-return of that day, they numbered 
 1045, rank and file, divided into four regiments. A 
 severe course of discipline and drilling was introduced, 
 and they made great improvement in the necessary 
 duties of a soldier. By the 29th two more regiments 
 had come into camp, and the whole number, rank and 
 file, was 1416 ; a very respectable force. The men 
 were beginning to get a little uneasy, remaining so long 
 at the same place, as is generally the case with raw 
 troops, and it was contemplated to change the location 
 of the camp to a point farther down the river, near 
 Bordentown ; but before this change could be effected, 
 Greneral Reed received orders from General Washing- 
 ton to dismiss the brigade for the present, and allow 
 the ofiicers and men to return home. This sudden 
 alteration in the views of the commander-in-chief was 
 caused by the reception of the news that the second 
 division of the French army, which was about to sail 
 to our assistance, and in concert with whom the main 
 army and militia were to act against the enemy in the 
 contemplated attack upon New York, was blockaded 
 in the harbor of Brest, and would not be able to reach 
 America during the present campaign. Under the 
 circumstances, Washington thought it most compatible 
 with the public service to countermand his former or- 
 der, and dismiss the militia, because their services were 
 not required for any other pm-pose. 
 
LIFE AND CHAKACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 115 
 
 When the militia returned home from Trenton 
 General Lacey went to Philadelphia and again took 
 his seat at the Council board. He was much disap- 
 pointed to be obliged to return from the field so soon, 
 where he was anxious to distinguish himseli", and where 
 he believed he could be of more service to his country 
 than in any other situation. He expressed his regrets 
 in strong language, in a manly and patriotic letter to 
 Colonel Wall, dated September 8th, and in which he 
 speaks in the highest terms of the discipline and good 
 conduct of his troops. He remained in Philadelphia 
 most of the fall and ensuing winter, in attendance upon 
 the Council, during which time he was assiduous in 
 the discharge of his duties. He kept up a brisk cor- 
 respondence with the prominent men in the State, 
 both giving and receiving much valuable information 
 in regard to the condition of the affairs of the colonies. 
 
 Dm'ing the winter General Lacey was married to 
 Miss Anastasia Reynolds, the youngest daughter of 
 Colonel Thomas Reynolds, of New ilills, now Pem- 
 berton, Burlington county. New Jersey. The mar- 
 riage took place on the 18th day of January, 1781. 
 Colonel Reynolds was also a patriot and hero of the 
 Revolution, and rendered important service to his coun- 
 try during the struggle for liberty. He was captured 
 by the enemy at an early period during the war, and 
 suffered imprisonment for a long time at New York, 
 and was at length exchanged for Lieut. Col. Simcoe, 
 a British partisan officer — the same who commanded 
 part of the British troops at the battle of the Billet. 
 Ho passed some time at New IMills, after his marriage, 
 
116 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 
 
 and early in the spring returned to Philadelphia. In 
 the latter part of September (1781) the British army, 
 in garrison at New York, made some demonstrations 
 against Pennsylvania, and in consequence thereof, the 
 militia of the State were called out and encamped at 
 Newtown, Bucks county, under the command of Gen- 
 eral Lacey. They remained here until about the 
 middle of October, when it appearing the enemy did 
 not intend to make any attack upon this State, they 
 were discharged and returned to their homos, with the 
 thanks of the Executive Council for the spirit with 
 which they turned out. While the militia lay at New- 
 town, the officers from Philadelphia county addressed 
 a petition to General Lacey, requesting permission to 
 go home and vote at the coming election. He granted 
 their request, and allowed the men to march, without 
 arms, under the command of two of their own officers, 
 to their respective places of voting. Some dissatisfied 
 and disaffected person sent the order he issued upon 
 that occasion to the " Pennsylvania Packet," in which 
 paper it was pubhshed, with some severe comments, 
 and casting much censure upon him. The object was 
 to endeavor to make it appear that he had used mih- 
 tary force to influence the election, thus seeking to 
 injure his standing and reputation. A representation 
 to the same eifect was also made to the General As- 
 sembly, whereupon General Lacey addressed a com- 
 munication to the Legislature, giving a full history of 
 the circumstances, and asking for an investigation. 
 Whether the General Assembly investigated the matter 
 we are not able to say, but from the facts stated in his 
 
LIFE AND CHARACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 117 
 
 communication, he was not liable to tte least blame, 
 but acted with, his usual consistency and honor. The 
 surrender of the British army, at Yorktown, which took 
 place the 19th day of October, 1781, virtually put an 
 end to the war, and after this event General Lacey's 
 services ■were no longer required in the field. 
 
 In the fall of '81, or the beginiiing of the year '82, 
 Greneral Lacey removed from Pennsylvania to the vil- 
 lage of New MiUs, New Jersey, where he entered 
 largely into the iron business. Here he passed the 
 remainder of his hfe. It is not to be supposed that a 
 man who had taken such a prominent part in the 
 struggle for liberty, would be overlooked by the people 
 of his adopted State. He soon assumed a leading po- 
 sition in that section of the country, and was called to 
 fill several important and responsible public stations. 
 He was elected to the Legislature, and was also a judge 
 and justice of the county in which he lived. He lived 
 in peace and contentment, an active and useful mem- 
 ber of society, and died, much lamented, the 17th day 
 of February, 1814, aged fifty-nine years, leaving a 
 widow and four children. 
 
 Thus we have narrated the leading facts in the life 
 of General John Lacey, most of which have never 
 before been given to the public. He lived and acted 
 in the most trying period of our country's history, and, 
 by his devotion to the great principles of liberty, well 
 merits the appellation of a faithful patriot. Many 
 became more distinguished by the force of circum- 
 stances, but none were more devoted to the cause, 
 periled their life with more cheerfulness, or were gov- 
 
118 LIFE AND CHAEACTEE OP JOHN LACEY. 
 
 erned by a higher sense of duty. He was a patriot 
 from principle, and espoused the cause of the colonies 
 because it accorded -with his conviction of right. He 
 forsook family, friends, and personal interest, for what 
 he believed to be his duty ; and, although his path was 
 constantly beset with difficulties, he never once faltered. 
 He was a man of far more than ordinary capacity, and 
 the defects of early education overcome, by close ap- 
 plication to study during the hours of relaxation from 
 labor and the leisure of the camp and council. He 
 presented an admirable combination of character — 
 warm-hearted and amiable, but firm and unyielding in 
 the discharge of duty. In all the relations of life he 
 might have borne the motto of Chevalier Bayard upon 
 his helmet, without blushing — Sanspeur, sans reproche. 
 He was admirably adapted for a soldier, and possessed 
 quahties that would have procured him a marshal's 
 baton, if he had served under the great Napoleon. He 
 was remarkably fine-looking, and is said to have made 
 a very handsome appearance in uniform. He was 
 courageous and determined in a high degree, and was 
 noted as one of the severest disciplinarians in the ser- 
 vice ; he was very active, and could endure more hard- 
 ships than most men ; he was just in all things ; and, 
 next to patriotism and honesty, justice seemed to be 
 the star by which he was guided. 
 
 Such, briefly, were the characteristics of General 
 Lacey, the subject of this memoir. It requires neither 
 brass nor marble to perpetuate his memory, for his 
 good deeds will be remembered by his countrymen — a 
 far more enduring monument. Peace to his ashes ! 
 
^PPEISTDIX, 
 
THE LACEY MONUMENT. 
 
 A few years ago a project was put on foot by the inhabitants of 
 Hatborough and vicinity to erect a monument to the memory of 
 General Lacey. The ladies, old and young, were very active in 
 the enterprise. By means of subscriptions, and a, fair held by the 
 ladies in a, grove near the battle-field of the Crooked Billet, suf- 
 ficient money was raised to cover the expense. It was erected in 
 the summer of 1861, on a lot purchased for the purpose, fronting 
 the turnpike, at the upper end of the village. Arrangements were 
 made to inaugurate the monument the 5th of December of that year. 
 The ceremonies passed off with great eclat, in presence of an im- 
 mense concourse of people which had assembled to witness them. 
 An eloquent address, appropriate to the occasion, was delivered by 
 the Reverend Jacob BelvUle, in the LoUer Academy, after the in- 
 augural ceremonies had taken place at the foot of the monument. 
 The following account of the affair is copied from the published 
 proceedings, viz: — 
 
 Thursday, the 5th of December, 1861, was the day fixed upon 
 for inaugurating the " Crooked Billet " Monument, at Hatborough, 
 Montgomery county, in commemoration of those who fell at the 
 battle of the Crooked Billet, May 1st, 1778, and who were cruelly 
 massacred by the British troops and Tories, led on by the Tories 
 of the Revolution, residing in the vicinity. The day was most 
 auspicious, calm and beautiful, the sun rendering it mild by his 
 warm rays. The inaugural ceremonies were conducted at the base 
 of the monument, in the forenoon, and as soon as the column was 
 capped, and the urn being raised to its position. Rev. Dr. Steele 
 was called upon and addressed the Throne of Grace in a solemn 
 16 
 
4 APPENDIX. 
 
 prayer. Several patriotic and eloquent addresses were made by 
 gentlemen, who were present by invitation of tlie managers. The 
 venerable and highly esteemed Dr. William Darlington, celebrated 
 for his scientific, historical, and literary attainments, and who is 
 now in his eightieth year, but whose intellect is as vigorous, active, 
 and bright as in his younger days, was present, and his lively con- 
 versation lent a charm and gave additional interest to the occasion. 
 He was accompanied by two young ladies, direct descendants of 
 General Lacey. The monument is beautiful, large and imposing, 
 and stands upon a high bank overlooking the road. It consists of 
 a plinth, five feet square and one foot thick, and a double base, all 
 of Montgomery county marble ; upon this rests a die, enriched with 
 a projecting moulding, on which is the Latin motto, " JDefensores 
 Libertatis per Insidias Abrupti;" on the square below is en- 
 graved the inscription ; above this is another die, bearing the coat 
 of arms of the " Old Keystone State," in alto relievo ; this is exqui- 
 sitely beautiful and an admirably executed piece of workmanship 
 — the horses are well proportioned and seem instinct with life, the 
 head ot the eagle has a beautiful curve, and all the parts are well 
 worked out ; rising from this second die is a well proportioned 
 shaft or obelisk, nine feet high, on which is sculptured full sized 
 cross-swords and a shield, in bold relief; upon the obelisk is a neat 
 capitol, and the whole is surmounted with an urn, from which 
 issues a flame. It stands some twenty-four feet high, and is of the 
 finest Italian marble from the base up. The monument will be sur- 
 rounded by a wall and an iron railing. 
 
 Dr. William Darlington, of West Chester, a son-in-law of General 
 Lacey, being present and called upon, addressed the audience 
 briefly, thanking the people of the neighborhood for the patriotism 
 they had shown by the erection of a beautiful monument, and said 
 it was chiefly owing to the energy of the gallant Colonel of the 104th 
 Ringgold Regiment,* Pennsylvania Volunteers, and his friends, 
 that this enterprise, which we had been called upon to-day to con- 
 summate, had been commenced. 
 
 General John Davis replied that he could not permit it to go forth, 
 that his family were the only ones prominent in this movement, 
 that where all had acted so nobly all should share the praise— that 
 
 ' Colonel W. W. H. Davis, who was the prime mover in the enterpriie.to raise 
 this monument. 
 
APPENDIX. .■) 
 
 to the ladies of HatboroUgh and vicinity they were principally in- 
 debted ; it was to them, who had labored so assiduously and earn- 
 estly in tUs good w ork, that the managers were enabled to complete 
 the enterprise. 
 
 The ReT. Mr. Toland, of Chestnut Hill, was present and added 
 his testimony in favor of what had been done by the patriotic sons 
 of patriotic sires, to peipetuate the memory of the gallant brave 
 who had given up their lives on that sacred spot. He was glad to 
 see before him the veterans of the war of 1812 ; Dr. Darlington, a 
 major, and General John Davis, a captain of that war ; they were 
 connecting links that bind the past with the present, that unite the 
 patriotism of 1813 and 18G1, the defenders of liberty against foreign 
 aggression, and the protectors of that liberty against a wicked and 
 causeless rebellion. The olden scones of 1776 were being enacted 
 over again by those brave spirits who have obeyed their country's 
 call and are now at the seat of war. Those who had professed to 
 be our brethren were now in open rebellion against us, and attempt- 
 ing to overthrow the Constitution and the Government. 
 
 Rev. Mr. Hand was also glad to add his testimony to what had 
 already been said. He congratulated the community upon what 
 had been accomplished. This was a fitting and beautiful testi- 
 monial to the brave men, who in the dark days of the Revolution 
 had risked their all, and some had even given up their lives upon 
 that field to secure our liberties. The events of this day were en- 
 couraging to those who were now in the service of theii- country. 
 They had gone forth upon a sense of duty to crush this sphit of 
 rebellion, and a grateful people would reward them. Those who 
 fell upon this spot little thought they would have their names handed 
 down to posterity, and their deeds live in imperishable marble ; 
 over eighty years have passed away and they are not forgotten. 
 
6 APPKNDIX. 
 
 TNSCEIPTION ON THE MONUMENT. 
 
 Defensores lAbertatis per Insidias Abrupti. 
 
 [The Defenders of Liberty slain by surprise.] 
 
 [OK THE WEST FEONT.] 
 
 crooked billet battle, may 1, 1778. 
 
 General John Lacey, 
 
 commanding the American patriots who were here engaged in 
 
 conflict 
 
 FOR INDEPENDENCE. 
 
 [80TTTH BIDE.] 
 
 The Patriots of 1776 
 
 ACHIEVED OUR INDEPENDENCE. 
 
 Their Successors 
 
 ESTABLISHED IT IN 1812. 
 
 Ws are now struggling 
 
 FOR ITS PERPETUATION IN 1861. 
 
 " The Union must and shall be Preserved." 
 
 [EAST SIDE.] 
 
 A GBATErnL TBIBtrTB 
 
 by the 
 
 HATBOROUGH MONUMENT ASSOCIATION, 
 
 chartered and erected 
 
 A. D. 1861. 
 
 [NOEXn SIDE.] 
 
 IN MEMORY OP PATRIOTIC 
 
 John Downey, 
 
 And others who were cruelly slain on this gi'ound, in the struggle for 
 AMERICAN LIBERTY.